Wildlife Crime Prevention - Europe
The European Union is widely considered to be the third largest destination for illegal wildlifethe EU ivory ban is near
the EU ivory ban is near
Brussels, 28 January 2021 – The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) welcomes the propositions made by the European Commission today regarding new measures to ban ivory trade.
The Commission has published draft measures that would effectively ban the trade in ivory in the European Union (EU) with limited exceptions.
“Today’s announcement is an encouraging step forward, especially as the proposal has been substantially modified following some of the feedback we provided last year,” said Eleonora Panella, Senior Campaigner at IFAW.
The proposal has been submitted for public feedback in a consultation lasting until 25 February, in which IFAW will participate and invite all interested citizens to show support to this proposal.
IFAW has been advocating for restrictions on ivory trade in Europe for the past decade.
Already, in May 2018, more than 90 Members of the European Parliament called for a total ban on ivory trade and imports in the EU, and a first public consultation released by the European Commission showed that more than 90% of the 90,000 respondents were in support of an EU ban on ivory trade.
Over the past few years, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Belgium passed some restrictions on ivory trade but this is not enough for sustainable impact.
“The existence of legal domestic ivory markets in the EU and elsewhere provides cover for criminals to launder illegal ivory from poached elephants. It is time for the EU to step up, to do the right thing and close the EU domestic ivory market once and for all,” Panella concluded.
About the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) - The International Fund for Animal Welfare is a global non-profit helping animal and people thrive together. We are experts and everyday people, working across seas, oceans and in more than 40 countries around the world. We rescue, rehabilitate and release animals, and we restore and protect their natural habitats. The problems we’re up against are urgent and complicated. To solve them, we match fresh thinking with bold action. We partner with local communities, governments, non-governmental organizations and businesses. Together, we pioneer new and innovative ways to help all species flourish. See how at ifaw.org
Press Contacts
Benjamin Wiacek, Communications manager
m: +32 472 17 15 81
e: bwiacek@ifaw.org
Related content
Our work can’t get done without you. Please give what you can to help animals thrive.