Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is a treaty that aims to control trade in wild animals and plants, their parts, and products derived from them. Over 170 countries around the world have joined the treaty. CITES forbids commercial international trade in certain endangered species, and it regulates trade in other species that might otherwise become endangered. Nevertheless, international wildlife trade continues to put many species at risk.
CITES was drawn up in 1973. Nine countries became the first official parties to the treaty on July 1, 1975. They were Chile, Cyprus, Ecuador, Nigeria, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, the United States, and Uruguay. Today, representatives from nations that have joined CITES meet every two to three years. This body, known as the Conference of the Parties, approves most changes to the lists of species that CITES protects. It also makes recommendations for improving implementation of the treaty. The CITES Secretariat, which helps member nations implement the treaty, is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme, a branch of the United Nations. The Secretariat’s headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.
