The Commission proposes to permanently ban ivory trade and make it easier for monitoring agencies to do their job by launching a final consultation on draft measures on Thursday 28 January. A few exceptions will still be possible, notably to equip musical instruments purchased before 1975 and in a legal manner.
The recent ivory trade is already banned in the European Union, but it continues globally despite several international conventions prohibiting it. Exemptions are often granted and contribute to the decline of tusked animals.
The Commission has submitted its preparatory measures for public consultation from 28 January to 25 February 2021. Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius said: “Thousands of elephants are killed each year for ivory. The illegal ivory trade is an international problem and we are committed to leading by example and playing our part in finding a solution to this global problem.
See the consultation: https://bit.ly/3iTETO1 (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)