whilst the UK Ivory Act falters, the EU announces greater protections for elephants

Today is a good day for elephants. The European Commission has announced new measures that severely restrict the ivory trade across the European Union. The new regulation and guidance provide only limited exceptions for some musical instruments and antiques.

This announcement is an achievement for several organisations that have been campaigning for measures to halt the ivory trade over the past decade. In 2013 IFAW was part of the first discussions on the issue of wildlife trafficking in the EU.

We continued to spearhead efforts to fight ivory trade and wildlife trafficking at the EU level, advocating for the Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking (WTAP) in 2016 but also at a national level. This work led to bans in ivory trade passed in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and yes here in the UK.

That resulted in the UK passing the Ivory Act in 2018 which promised to be “world-leading legislation”, and many of us were delighted at the UK seeming to lead the way.

ivory trade continues despite 2018 ban

But fast forward nearly three years and the Act still hasn’t come into force in the UK. There has been a catalogue of delays from the UK Government. To be fair, it started with a High Court appeal and has included delays attributed to Brexit and COVID, but we have also seen multiple consultations that have slowed the process even further.

These delays come at a significant cost too, as we showed this summer the scale of the UK ivory trade as a result of the Act not coming into force. We estimate that thousands of African elephants are killed each year for their ivory. This would mean that in the time since the Ivory Act was passed a huge number of elephants may have lost their lives.

EU's new momentum has potential to leave UK behind

So in the three years that the UK has delayed enforcing its "world-leading" ban, the EU has caught up and is now snapping at our heels to implement significant regulations to protect elephants (and other ivory-bearing species) and prevent the trade in ivory.

Whilst the new EU measures are a significant step forward, elephants are not yet ‘saved’ and this is only the first step towards greater protection. It is now incumbent upon EU member states to implement these measures into their own legislation and bring them into force as soon as possible. Let’s hope they learn the lessons from the UK and don’t allow years to pass before these protections come into force and have the intended effect.

Beyond ivory itself, there are several other opportunities for the EU and member states to protect wildlife, which you can read here from our IFAW EU Director.

It is clear that greater protections are coming now for elephants and other ivory-bearing species. However, it’s important that beyond the headlines, the detail is there to ensure we really can stop these majestic animals from being driven to extinction. Rest assured that at IFAW, whether it be in the EU, the UK, or anywhere in the world, we will be there ready to do our bit to ensure they are afforded the protection they need for future generations.

You too can play your part by joining us in urging the UK Government to make the 2018 Ivory ban as effective as possible. Contact your local MP today and let them know enough is enough—we must have a working trade ban now including a proper ivory disposal plan. We can't wait any longer—and more importantly—neither can elephants!