European Commission expert mission conducts work in Armenia to  improve CITES implementation mechanisms

ArmInfo. A TAIEX (Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument) expert mission held a three-day seminar in Armenia on the implementation of the Convention  on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora  (CITES).

The seminar, attended by experts from the Czech Republic, aimed to  improve mechanisms for combating illegal trafficking, legal  regulation, and other issues.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Environment, Frank  Hess, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to Armenia, noted that  each country, including Armenia, must intensify efforts to prevent  international trade in endangered species and ensure effective  implementation of the CITES Convention.  According to him, holding  such a seminar on the eve of COP17 is particularly important in terms  of strengthening national capacity and deepening international  cooperation.

CITES National Coordinator in Armenia Tatevik Kirakosyan expressed  gratitude to the European Union, the TAIEX program, and the Czech  experts for their support and exchange of experience. She noted that  the main goal of the mission is to improve CITES implementation  mechanisms in Armenia and strengthen cooperation between the  responsible agencies.

Deputy Minister of Environment Aram Meymaryan also delivered a  welcoming speech. He noted that such expert missions open important  opportunities for implementing international best practices in  Armenia.  According to the Deputy Minister, the initiative is being  implemented at a particularly timely moment, given that Armenia will  host the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on  Biological Diversity (COP17) in October 2026.

Representatives from the Ministry of Environment, the Inspectorate  for Environmental Protection and Subsoil, the Customs Service of the  State Revenue Committee, the Food Safety Inspectorate, the A.   Takhtadzhyan Institute of Botany, the Yerevan Zoo, and other relevant  government agencies participated in the seminar.

Over the course of three days, participants discussed national  legislation implementing the CITES Convention, control and  enforcement mechanisms, tools for identifying and investigating cases  of illegal trafficking, international best practices for the care and  management of seized animals and plants, as well as issues of raising  public awareness and interagency cooperation.