Legal and illegal trade in wildlife species between the EU and Mexico

Both the European Union and Mexico are Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and as such, have agreed to comply with the provisions of the Text of the Convention, and its applicable Resolutions and Decisions. In order to improve the implementation of the Convention, synergies and collaboration initiatives between Parties to the Convention are key elements to tackle illegal wildlife trade.

This project will therefore provide concrete follow-up to the particularly relevant and successful policy dialogue on environment between the EU and Mexico, in a landmark year, when the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP13) of the Convention on Biodiversity will be held in Mexico (Cancun, December 2016), and the CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP17) will take place in Johannesburg (24 September – 5 October 2016).

On the occasion of the last bilateral high level dialogue on Environment in 2015, the EU and Mexico agreed to deepen the knowledge of the existing situation in legal and illegal trade of protected species between the two regions. This project aims therefore at identifying the main species in trade between both Parties, and to provide recommendations for the development and implementation of actions (ranging in a broad spectrum of case by case activities, depending on each species conservation needs, and potential to ensure the legality, sustainability, and traceability of trade in close collaboration with local communities and other relevant stakeholders).

The proposed action will also contribute to the implementation of the EU Action Plan against wildlife trafficking, of CITES (and its Strategic Vision: 2008-2020), of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations as well to the implementation of pertinent international agreements related to tackling illegal wildlife trade.

The project aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the trade of CITES listed species between Mexico and the EU (whether legally or illegally traded), in order to pave the way towards the development and implementation of actions to ensure their conservation, and guarantee that their trade is legal, sustainable and traceable.

The specific objectives of the project are:

• The Identification an prioritization of species (whether CITES listed or not) subject to high levels of legal and illegal trade between Mexico and the EU;
• Based on an exhaustive trade analysis of the selected species, the development of recommendations for the establishment and implementation of actions to strengthen and improve bilateral collaboration and information exchange of pre-selected species.

• Development of a first draft of a list of selected species and to gather information regarding legal and illegal trade levels and species conservation status;
• Face to face meeting(s) or videoconference(s) to validate the selected species list (through a Steering Committee to be established, and which would consist in representatives of EU and Mexican authorities);
• Development of an exhaustive trade analysis of the selected species, and development of recommendations for future group based actions;
• Development of recommendations for the future elaboration and implementation of actions for selected species;
• Face to face meeting(s) or videoconference(s) of the Steering Committee to validate the list and content of recommendations.

• Master Degree in wildlife monitoring, conservation and trade, environmental science and policy, or related fields;
• Fluency in English and Spanish.

• Extensive experience (at least 5 years) in monitoring and analysing wildlife trade trends Wildlife policies, management and sustainable use;
• Extensive knowledge of the CITES Convention;
• Proven research and writing skills as well as strong analytic skills;
• Proven previous experience as team leader coordinating a pool of experts in research projects;
• Strong project management skills;
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.

• University Degree in wildlife monitoring, conservation and trade, environmental science and policy, or related fields;
• Fluency in English and Spanish.

• Previous experience (at least 3 years) in international cooperation projects in the field of environment and biodiversity;
• Proven research and writing skills as well as strong analytic skills;
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.