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New botanical species added to CITES Appendix II during CITES 19th Conference of the Parties Meeting
November 30, 2022
The 19th meeting of the CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP19) recently met in Panama City, Panama, on November 14-25, 2022. Of interest to AHPA members are several agenda items related to botanical species that are used in dietary supplements and other natural products. Some of these proposals have resulted in new botanicals species being accepted for addition to CITES controls for international trade.
A proposal to list all species of Rhodiola spp. in CITES Appendix II was accepted by the Parties. This listing will include annotation #2: “All parts and derivatives except: a) seeds and pollen; and b) finished products packaged and ready for retail trade.” This new listing will become effective in 90 days (i.e., on or about February 22, 2023). In comments to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (the U.S. CITES representative) prior to the CoP19 meeting, AHPA requested that provisions be established for clearly identifying established cultivation operations for Rhodiola rosea as pre-Convention.
All genera of the trees Handroanthus, Roseodendron and Tabebuia were proposed for listing in CITES Appendix II with annotation #17: “Logs, sawn wood, veneer sheets, plywood and transformed wood.” This proposal was accepted by the Parties, with a delayed implementation period of 24 months as requested by the State of Bolivia. In comments to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prior to the CoP19 meeting, AHPA requested clarification as to whether the bark of these trees (which is used to produce pao d'arco) is included in the specimens defined in the annotation.
While not proposed for listing in the CITES Appendices at CoP19, a report on Boswellia spp. was on the CoP19 agenda, and was also discussed by the CITES Plants Committee at its meeting in June 2022. A new report on Boswellia spp. in international trade became available prior to the CoP19 meeting. The Parties adopted proposed draft decisions in which the Plants Committee and Parties will continue to collect information and evaluate whether some Boswellia species meet the criteria for CITES listing. AHPA has been working with several AHPA members involved in the international trade of Boswellia serrata materials, and is currently working on a sustainable harvest brochure for this species.
The CITES Conference of the Parties occurs every 2-3 years for the purpose of allowing Parties to the CITES Convention to review the implementation of the Convention through the following activities:
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Consider (and where appropriate adopt) proposals to amend the lists of species in Appendices I and II;
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Review progress in the conservation of species included in the CITES Appendices;
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Consider discussion documents and reports from the Parties, the permanent committees, the Secretariat and working groups;
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Recommend measures to improve the effectiveness of the Convention; and
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Make provisions (including the adoption of a budget) necessary to allow the Secretariat to function effectively.
More information is available on the CITES website and in AHPA's Primer on Importing and Exporting CITES Listed Species.
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Editor's Note: This article was revised on 1/4/23 to reflect the correct effective date of the Rhodiola listing.
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