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Communications |
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Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
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Date:
16/03/2010
The Ministry of Resources and Rural Affairs refers to media statements regarding Malta’s position during the internal European Union meetings being held in the margins of the meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Doha, Qatar.
It is to be pointed out that contrary to various media reports, Malta is no way trying to re-open what had been agreed at the Council meeting of 12 March 2010 by way of the EU position for the CITES meeting in Doha. Statements claiming that Malta is trying to reopen discussions are gross misinterpretations of the intervention made by Malta during internal EU co-ordination meetings.
The agreed EU position is based on certain conditions which were agreed to by Member States following intensive discussions within the Council of Ministers During an EU co-ordination meeting, a question of interpretation was raised as to what the EU’s position would be if the CITES Conference of the Parties moved to vote on a proposal to enter bluefin tuna as an Appendix 1 species with immediate effect, and on an unconditional basis. The EU agreed position is that support by the EU of a listing of bluefin tuna in Appendix I is conditional upon certain elements including a deferred entry into effect of an Appendix I listing until May 2011 to allow the CITES Standing Committee to take into account the results of the stock assessments that would be carried out in October 2010 by the Scientific Committee of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Malta asked for a clarification from the EU Council Legal Services of how the EU’s mandate should be interpreted in case the conditions agreed upon by the EU Member States are not taken on board in the final vote on bluefin tuna.
During the coordination meeting it was agreed that a legal opinion should be presented and it is currently being awaited. |
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