Exports or re-exports of living animals and plants and of animal and plant parts and products which are subject to CITES regulations require certificates from the FSVO.
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Species protection provisions of the CITES Conference of the Parties CoP19 enter into force on 1 May 2023
29.03.2023: Important decisions were taken at the 19th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Panama City in November 2022. For example, additional woody species and additional shark and reptile species have once again been added to the CITES Appendices.
The changes to the conservation status of animal and plant species in international trade will enter into force in Switzerland on 1 May 2023. It is important to note that this date only applies to Switzerland. Other dates may apply in other countries. Below are the most important changes and their significance:
The provisions of the Washington Convention (CITES) apply both to living animals and plants and to animal and plant parts and products. The animal and plant species concerned are listed in the Appendices to the Convention or can be found on the CITES species checklist (see “More information”).
For relevant import conditions, the recipient should consult the competent authorities in the country of destination.
Animals and animal products
Exports of animals or animal products which are protected by CITES require an export permit from the FSVO (see “More information”).
Living plants
Exports or re-exports of living plants which are subject to CITES regulations require a CITES certificate. The issuing of such certificates is the responsibility of the FSVO. “In vitro” materials, i.e. sterile cultures on artificial culture media in sealed vessels, are generally exempted from CITES regulations.
Consignments of plants which are not subject to CITES regulations are the responsibility of the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) (see link “Phytosanitary measures” under “More information”). FOAG also answers questions relating to the phytosanitary certificate. A phytosanitary certificate is no longer required for export to EU Member States, but is required for seeds, depending on the country of destination. The importer should consult the competent authorities in the country of destination.
Plant parts and products
Exports or re-exports of plant parts and products derived from plants which are subject to CITES regulations require a CITES certificate from the FSVO. This can be requested using the application form below. All export applications for plant products must be accompanied by the completed stock monitoring documentation (see “More information”).
Re-export certificates are issued only if the legal importation of the goods can be proven. To this end, the importer receives a pass with a reference number after import. This number must be quoted in all re-export applications.
More information
Last modification 29.03.2023
