Commissioner Vella
Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
European Commission
Berlaymont
Rue de la Loi 200
1000 – Brussels
Brussels, 2 May 2018
On a Proposal for an Ivory Ban
Dear Commissioner Vella,
We are turning to you to draw your attention to the growing concern related to ivory trading. Since the implementation in EU law of CITES in 2015, the trade in ivory has somewhat diminished. However, elephant and rhino species continue to be in serious danger, as the level of poaching remains high. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that international criminal organisations have found in wildlife trafficking a lucrative business, as the risk of getting caught and the consequent penalties are relatively low and the economical return is significantly higher. The shared feeling is that, despite the actions taken in the past, this still represents a huge concern and that only a tough measure would help eradicating this practice.
Given these considerations, we feel that the time is ripe for the next step from the Commission: a proposal on total ban on ivory import/trade. The Parliament has been advocating for such a ban for a long time, most recently in the resolution on „EU action plan against wildlife trafficking” voted with a large majority on 24 November 2016. Moreover, the issue was raised during the last informal ENVI council on the 5th March 2018 and the report on the outcome of the discussions seems to suggest an a priori openness from the Council also.
The EU should pave the way for other countries to follow as it did so many times before and we count on your leadership on this issue.
We are looking forward to working with you on this matter and to promptly ensure the welfare and conservation of the affected species.
Yours sincerely,
Benedek Jávor and Catherine Bearder
MEPs for Wildlife
Co-signatures:
ADINOLFI Isabella (EFDD)
AFFRONTE Marco (Greens/EFA)
ALBIOL GUZMAN Marina (GUE/NGL)
ANDERSON Martina (GUE/NGL)
ANDERSSON Max (Greens/EFA)
ARIMONT Pascal (EPP)
AUSTREVICIUS Petras (ALDE)
BACH Georges (EPP)
BILBAO BARANDICA Izaskun (ALDE)
BOYLAN Lynn (GUE/NGL)
BRANNEN Paul (S&D)
CARTHY Matt (GUE/NGL)
CASA David (EPP)
CASTALDO Fabio Massimo (EFDD)
CHRYSOGONOS Kostas (GUE/NGL)
COUSO PERMUY Javier (GUE/NGL)
CRAMER Michael (Greens/EFA)
CSÁKY Pál (EPP)
DATI Rachida (EPP)
DE MONTE Isabella (S&D)
DURAND Pascal (Greens/EFA)
FLACK John (ECR)
EICKHOUT Bas (Greens/EFA)
ECK Stefan (GUE/NGL)
EPITIDEIOS Georgios (NI)
EVANS Jill (Greens/EFA)
EVI Eleonora (EFDD)
FARIA Jose Inacio (EPP)
FLANAGAN Luke Ming (GUE/NGL)
FOSTER Jacqueline (ECR)
FRUNZULICA Doru (S&D)
GERBRANDY Gerben-Jan (ALDE)
GERINGER DE OEDENBERG Lidia Joanna (S&D)
GILL CBE Neena (S&D)
GODDYN Sylvie (ENF)
GRIESBECK Nathalie (ALDE)
GRIFFIN Theresa (S&D)
HÄUSLING Martin (Greens/EFA)
HAZEKAMP Anja (GUE/NGL)
HOWARTH John (S&D)
JAAKONSAARI Liisa (S&D)
JAMES Diane (NI)
JOLY Gro Eva (Greens/EFA)
KADENBACH Karin (S&D)
KONEČNÁ Kateřina (GUE/NGL)
KYENGE Cécile Kashetu (S&D)
KYLLÖNEN Merja (GUE/NGL)
KYRKOS Miltiadis (S&D)
LALONDE Patricia (ALDE)
LEINEN Jo (S&D)
MARCELLESI Florent (Greens/EFA)
MARTIN David (S&D)
MAYER Alex (S&D)
MCCLARKIN Emma (ECR)
MCINTYRE Anthea (ECR)
MICHEL Louis (ALDE)
MIRANDA Ana (Greens/EFA)
MITROFANOVS Miroslavs (Greens/EFA)
MIZZI Marlene (S&D)
MONTEL Sophie (EFDD)
NAGY József (EPP)
NI RIADA Liadh (GUE/NGL)
OMARJEE Younous (GUE/NGL)
POC Pavel (S&D)
POSPÍŠIL Jiří (EPP)
POST Soraya (S&D)
PIETIKÄINEN Sirpa (EPP)
PUNSET Carolina (ALDE)
RADEV Emil (EPP)
REIMON Michel (Greens/EFA)
RIES Frédérique (ALDE)
ROCHEFORT Robert (ALDE)
RODRIGUES Liliana (S&D)
RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO Inmaculada (S&D)
ROPÉ Bronis (Greens/EFA)
SOLTES Igor (Greens/EFA)
SZANYI Tibor (S&D)
TAMBURRANO Dario (EFDD)
TAYLOR Keith (Greens/EFA)
TRÜPEL Helga (Greens/EFA)
UJHELYI István (S&D)
URTASUN Ernest (Greens/EFA)
VAIDERE Inese (EPP)
VAJGL Ivo (ALDE)
VAN BREMPT Kathleen (S&D)
VANA Monika (Greens/EFA)
VAUTMANS Hilde (ALDE)
WARD Julie (S&D)
WISNIEWSKA Jadwiga (ECR)
ZOANĂ Maria Gabriela (S&D)
Photo credits to: http://www.shahrogersphotography.com/detail/1597.html