In 2021, the EU Member States reported a total of 4137 seizures of illegal wildlife trade, with Germany, France, Spain, and the Netherlands accounting for 68% of all seizures. This is a 4% increase compared to 2020. The top commodities seized in the EU were medicinals, live birds, reptiles, live coral and coral rock, elephant ivory and mammals. The main countries of departure for illegal wildlife trade entering the EU were Thailand, the United States of America, Ukraine, Indonesia and Switzerland.
The report also revealed an increasing number of invertebrate bodies, parts, and derivatives seized in the EU overseas territories, mainly Queen Conch Strombus gigas (App. II), and increasing seizures of sturgeon caviar Acipensiformes spp. (App. I, II).
COVID-19 restrictions have impacted law enforcement action and are likely to have contributed to the reduced seizure rates. Restrictions on air transport, the closure of shops, and other modes of transporting or selling goods may have reduced the scale of trafficking networks due to fewer opportunities for illegal trade.
The analysis of the seizures is based on the Annual Illegal Trade Reports submitted to the EU-TWIX database by the 24 EU Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden).
An analysis of CITES-related seizures reported by the EU Member States for 2021 has revealed an increase in illegal wildlife trade, with Germany, France, Spain, and the Netherlands accounting for the majority of reported seizures. The top commodities seized were medicinals, live birds, reptiles, live coral and coral rock, elephant ivory and mammals.
COVID-19 restrictions have impacted law enforcement action, which likely contributed to the reduced seizure rates compared to pre-COVID-19 pandemic times. The report also uncovered potentially emerging trends, such as an increasing number of invertebrate bodies, parts, and derivatives seized in the EU overseas territories, mainly Queen Conch Strombus gigas (App. II), and increasing seizures of sturgeon caviar Acipensiformes spp. (App. I, II).
The analysis was based on the Annual Illegal Trade Reports submitted to the EU-TWIX database by the 24 EU Member States. Thailand, the United States of America, Ukraine, Indonesia and Switzerland were the top five main countries of departure of illegal wildlife trade entering the EU in 2021.
A new analysis of CITES-related seizures reported by the EU Member States for 2021 has revealed an increase in illegal wildlife trade. The 24 EU Member States reported a total of 4137 seizures, with Germany, France, Spain, and the Netherlands accounting for 68% of 2021 seizures. The top commodities seized were medicinals, live birds, reptiles, live coral and coral rock, elephant ivory and mammals.
COVID-19 restrictions have impacted law enforcement action, resulting in a reduced rate of seizures compared to pre-pandemic levels. The report also uncovered potentially emerging trends, such as an increasing number of invertebrate bodies, parts, and derivatives seized in the EU overseas territories. Thailand, the United States of America, Ukraine, Indonesia and Switzerland were the top five main countries of departure of illegal wildlife trade entering the EU in 2021.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.