LONDON, England-The government is encouraging buyers and the fashion industry to review new guidelines effective from January 2021 on imports and exports of goods specified by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ( CITES) as London Fashion Week kicks into gear this year.
CITES is an international agreement that safeguards more than 35,000 species of endangered animals and plants, either as live specimens or as products manufactured from their parts, by monitoring how they are traded or transported.
At the end of the transition period on 1 January 2021, new legislation will ensure that these items, including certain reptile skins, fur, shells, coral and feathers, will require paperwork to be transported legally between Great Britain and the EU, and between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Public representatives selling second-hand fashion products online should also review the Guidelines before uploading products abroad. People returning from abroad to the UK should verify, before bringing these products across the border, if the items they want to carry with them are listed on the CITES species lists. If necessary, they will need to apply for CITES documentation from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and travel through designated UK Points of Entry and Exit (PoE).
The government has increased the number of UK land, sea and air ports to 29 locations with a full list and further information available on Gov.UK .
Emma Biggs, APHA’s Head of International Trade and Customer Service Centres said:
‘CITES plays a crucial role in ensuring that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival in the wild. All businesses and individuals looking to move animal or plant products across the GB border from January 1, 2021, must check whether they need to apply for CITES documentation.’
On the Global CITES website, individuals moving CITES goods outside of
Great Britain should check the particular specifications of the intended import country.
Both UK import and export permits are valid for 6 months, so citizens are encouraged
to apply as soon as possible, enabling them to be obtained for at least 30 days. Businesses and individuals should also make sure to use a CITES designated PoE and present their CITES documents upon arrival and departure.
The government is committed to protecting nature and biodiversity, and to maintaining our CITES commitments, while working hard to ensure that the transition process ends with minimal disruption for companies and consumers.
SOURCE: MenaFN
