EU ivory campaign timeline

The European Commission announced new rules, severely restricting trade in ivory. The new measures are the strongest yet for the EU—among the largest exporters of legal ivory in the world—but not a total ban. IFAW welcomes this as a step in the right direction, but says there is more work to be done to protect elephants.

The European Parliament’s MEPs4Wildlife group, together with several NGOs, convened to discuss the urgent need to close the EU ivory market with the European Commission and a variety of international stakeholders, including the UNDOC conservation organisations and antique industry experts.

IFAW's Senior Campaigner reflects on the past few years of EU policy and the fight against wildlife crime.

IFAW welcomes the much awaited European Commission’s Green Deal, but urges the Commission and the Member States to do more for the protection of wildlife and natural habitat.

Ifaw is delighted to see that the High Court has rejected the antiques lobby’s bid to overturn the UK Ivory Act. This is a fantastic day for elephants, conservation and common sense!

IFAW together with other NGOs and relevant stakeholders met with the European Commission for the third consultation meeting on ivory trade in the European Union (EU). 

Governments attending the 18th Conference of the Parties (CoP18) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) faced criticism over failing to close their legal domestic ivory markets – while the forum as a whole agreed to ask such countries to report at the next meeting on what action they are taking.

IFAW published an updated factsheet on ivory trade in the European Union: what is the current situation, which countries have already passed ivory legislation and IFAW's approach on the issue.

The Belgian Chamber of Representatives passed a ban on ivory trade. IFAW however regrets that the legislation is not as strict as it could have been since the trade of worked-ivory items dating before 1975 will still be allowed. The ban entered into force on 1 October 2019.

IFAW, other NGOs and relevant stakeholders met with the European Commission for the second consultation meeting on ivory trade in the European Union (EU).

The UK ivory ban passed with Royal Assent, becoming now one of the toughest ivory bans in the world.

The Dutch government passed a ban on raw ivory. The Dutch ivory ban only accounts for raw ivory and not for worked ivory items. IFAW however encouraged the Dutch government, along with the rest of the EU, to go even further. The ban entered into force on 1 March 2019.