Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 888/2014 of 14 August 2014 prohibiting the introduction into the Union of specimens of certain species of wild fauna and flora

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein⁽¹⁾, and in particular Article 4(6) thereof,

Whereas:

1. Article 4(6) of Regulation (EC) No 338/97 provides that the Commission may establish restrictions to the introduction of specimens of certain species into the Union in accordance with the conditions laid down in points (a) to (d) thereof. Furthermore, implementing measures for such restrictions have been laid down in Article 71 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 865/2006⁽²⁾.

2. The list of species for which the introduction into the Union is prohibited was last established in June 2013 by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 578/2013⁽³⁾.

3. Croatia acceded to the Union on 1 July 2013. Therefore, all references to that Member State should be deleted from the list of species whose introduction in the Union is prohibited.

4. On the basis of recent information, the Scientific Review Group has concluded that the conservation status of certain additional species listed in Annexes A and B to Regulation (EC) No 338/97 will be seriously jeopardised if their introduction into the Union from certain countries of origin is not prohibited. The introduction into the Union of specimens of the following new species should therefore be prohibited:

   • Loxodonta africana (hunting trophies) from Cameroon;

   • Manis tricuspis from Guinea;

   • Balearica pavonina from South Sudan;

   • Balearica regulorum from Rwanda and Tanzania;

   • Calumma tarzan from Madagascar;

   • Trioceros perreti and Trioceros serratus from Cameroon;

   • Cordylus rhodesianus from Mozambique;

   • Uroplatus sameiti from Madagascar;

   • Candoia carinata from Indonesia;

   • Python bivittatus from China;

   • Kinixys erosa from Democratic Republic of the Congo;

   • Pandinus imperator from Benin (wild specimens) and Togo (wild and ranched specimens).

5. The Scientific Review Group has also concluded that, on the basis of the most recent available information, the prohibition of the introduction into the Union should no longer be required for specimens of the following species:

   • Gopherus agassizii from Mexico;

   • Stigmochelys pardalis from Mozambique (ranched specimens) and Zambia (ranched specimens and specimens with code F)

   • Ornithoptera urvillianus (wild and ranched specimens) from Solomon Islands;

   • Nardostachys grandiflora from Nepal.

6. The countries of origin of the species which are subject to new restrictions to introduction into the Union have all been consulted.

7. At the 16^th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES), new nomenclatural references (splitting of species and renaming of genus) for animals were adopted and should be reflected accordingly in Union legislation. Furthermore, the species Euphyllia picteti should be deleted as this species is not recognised in the standard nomenclatural reference agreed at CoP 16.

8. The list of species for which the introduction into the Union is prohibited should therefore be updated and Implementing Regulation (EU) No 578/2013 should, for reasons of clarity, be replaced.

9. The Scientific Review Group established pursuant to Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 338/97 has been consulted.

10. The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee on Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora established pursuant to Article 18 of Regulation (EC) No 338/97,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: