European Union

On Thursday, 27 July, the final day of the 23rd meeting of the Plants Committee (PC23), participants spent the morning in plenary hearing working groups reports on periodic review, rosewood timber species, nomenclature, East African sandalwood, definition of the term “artificially propagated,” timber identification, and annotations for Appendix-II orchids. On non-detriment findings (NDF), they also considered the 9-Steps-NDF-Guidance for plants developed by Germany and TRAFFIC. In plenary in the afternoon, the PC discussed Malagasy ebonies, palisanders, and rosewoods, with reports from Madagascar and the Secretariat on related decisions, and heard from Mexico on cooperation with the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). They considered and agreed, with amendments, to recommendations from working groups on review of significant trade (RST) and African tree species. In discussions, PC Chair Adrianne Sinclair commended the RST working group for its clear and systematic presentation of materials for consideration by the PC. The PC also re-considered rosewood timber species in the afternoon, agreeing to task the working group chairs with developing a report for the Standing Committee, rather than convening an intersessional working group. In closing remarks, PC Chair Sinclair thanked participants and looked with anticipation to the start of the PC’s intersessional work, commenting that “the best is yet to come.” The meeting closed at 4:54pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from the 29th Meeting of the CITES Animals Committee, Joint Meeting of the CITES Animals and Plants Committees, and 23rd Meeting of the CITES Plants Committee. The summary and analysis is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Morning Plenary View of the dais during the morning plenary Valentina Vaglica, Malta, and Hesiquio Benítez Díaz, Mexico Jaques Berney, World Conservation Trust (IWMC) Nahla Noobi, United Arab Emirates Isabel Camarena Osorno, PC alternate representative for North America Patience Gandiwa, Zimbabwe Junya Nakano, Japan César Beltetón, PC representative for Central and South America and the Caribbean, speaking with Paulo Carmo, PC representative for Europe Hélène Perier, EU Wita Wardani, Indonesia Vera Teresinha Rauber Coradin, PC representative for Central and South America and the Caribbean Noel McGough, PC Nomenclature Specialist Closing Plenary PC Chair Adrianne Sinclair, Canada, discussing a document with Ali Mahamane, PC representative for Africa, after the morning plenary Uwe Schippmann, Germany Anne St. John, US Greg Leach, PC representative for Oceania Martin Rose, Austria Liva Hariniaina Ramiandrarivo, Madagascar Ursula Moser, PC alternate representative for Europe César Beltetón and Vera Teresinha Rauber Coradin, PC representatives for Central and South America and the Caribbean, checking the CITES photos on ENB website Tom De Meulenaer, CITES Secretariat, consulting with PC Chair Adrianne Sinclair, Canada Mashur Bin Mohammad Alias, Indonesian Agarwood Association Jacob Phelps, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) PC representatives applaud PC Chair Adrianne Sinclair, Canada Group photo of the CITES Secretariat and the PC representatives at the closing of PC23 Around the Venue Members of UN Security at the AC and PC meetings Delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, Republic of Korea and Thailand Delegates from Saudi Arabia Delegates from China and Indonesia Delegates from South Africa