latest guidelines signal an end to ivory trade in the EU

The following is adapted from an original piece published by Politico  

When elephants thrive, many other animals do too. Through their daily actions, elephants are vital contributors to maintaining a healthy and balanced ecosystem. Their survival is still under threat, however, as thousands of African elephants are still poached every year for their ivory. Despite increased restrictions around the world, including in the EU, trade in ivory remains confusing and filled with loopholes, thus fueling continued demand.

Today’s European Commission announcement introduces stronger measures on ivory trade than ever before in EU history, and that is excellent news for elephants. The revised legislation and new EU guidance will considerably restrict domestic ivory trade, as well as imports and re-exports of both raw and worked ivory. Only a few exceptions for antiques and some musical instruments will remain.

This announcement is a major achievement for organizations like ours who have been campaigning for a total ban of ivory trade in the EU over the past decade. While this new legislation doesn’t go quite that far, it shows that the EU is finally taking responsibility for the death of thousands of elephants caused by the ivory trade.

IFAW has played a lead role in conservation efforts for many decades, and we initiated discussions that ultimately led to what today is known as the European Union Wildlife Trafficking Action Plan (WTAP). Since then, we spearheaded efforts to fight ivory trade and wildlife trafficking, advocating for the WTAP to be adopted in 2016, including at Member State level. This work led to restrictions in ivory trade in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom.

While we collectively can be proud of this milestone and celebrate the fact that the European Commission has stepped up, the work must continue. Elephants are still under threat, and the passing of new restrictions is just one-step toward the protection that is needed.  

These new rules set out by the European Commission are a big step forward, and all EU countries will now be called on to implement them. It may take several months before countries can provide the necessary means of control and repression, however, so we must remain vigilant in ensuring that we are not participating in the wildlife trade online or at physical retail outlets.

There are now several upcoming opportunities for the EU and Member States to demonstrate their commitment to protecting elephants and all wildlife, and together help to safeguard the world’s biodiversity (read more). Ultimately, we need to see more political will and faster action as we race to tackle climate change and large-scale biodiversity loss.

Room to roam

The alarming surge in poaching and trafficking of protected flora and fauna species affects us at every corner of the globe, from biodiversity, to climate, and through the impact to local communities, such as measurable scarcity in physical and food security.

Our goal at IFAW continues to be to protect and connect critical habitat for elephants and other wildlife, while thoughtfully contributing to human livelihood and the natural resources that thrive alongside. Species are becoming extinct 100 times faster than they would without human impact. Populations of wild animals have dropped to less than half of their numbers in 1970, while the human population has doubled. To protect elephants and the people who live alongside them, we are working on the ground with governments, communities, landowners and wildlife rangers to create the room elephants need to roam. We believe that, to achieve the EU Green Deal and Biodiversity Strategy ‘30x30’ goal (30% of land and sea protected by 2030), the EU must put green diplomacy and dedicated financing at the heart of its work.

Now is our time to come together—around the world—and let our actions speak loudly to help people and animals thrive together.

With these new restrictions on ivory trade, the EU demonstrates it can do the right thing, but it must continue to act for wildlife—and fast. This is vital if we wish for elephant populations and other wildlife species to be protected for future generations.

-Staci McLennan, IFAW EU Office Director