The ‘Washington’ Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, more commonly known as CITES, aims to protect certain plants and animals by regulating and monitoring their international trade to prevent it reaching unsustainable levels. The Convention entered into force in 1975, and the UK became a Party in 1976. There are more than 168 Parties to the Convention. The CITES Secretariat is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

How CITES works

CITES works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls. All import, export, re-export and introduction from the sea of species covered by the Convention has to be authorised through a licensing system. Each Party to the Convention must designate one or more Management Authorities in charge of administering that licensing system and one or more Scientific Authorities to advise them on the effects of trade on the status of the species. The species covered by CITES are listed in three Appendices, according to the degree of protection they need.

Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.

Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival.

Appendix III contains species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling the trade. Changes to Appendix III follow a distinct procedure from changes to Appendices I and II, as each party is entitled to make unilateral amendments to it.

Sustainable Sourcing

Asprey only produces merchandise using skins from sustainable sources. We do not use animals listed in Appendix I of the convention. In the case of animals listed in appendix II of the Cites convention, skins are imported into the EU accompanied by an export certificate issued by the government of the country of origin.

The convention provides a framework for legislation and process in the countries that are a party. Hence the actual rules and legislation vary from country to country.

The Asprey website sells merchandise made from CITES listed animals within the United Kingdom and European Union. If you are shipping to a different country, your order will be subject to extended delivery timings due to documentary requirements. Please note that we are unable to accept returns of merchandise made from CITES listed animals from outside the United Kingdom and European Union.