Addressing corruption in CITES documentation processes

The document examines the global issue of CITES document abuse, where permits and certificates are falsified or obtained corruptly to legalize the trade of endangered species. It identifies key methods of abuse, such as counterfeiting and mis-declaration, and highlights the role of corrupt officials as gatekeepers. To mitigate these risks, the brief recommends a combination of prosecuting corrupt officials, implementing e-permitting systems (eCITES), enhancing technical capacity for inspectors, and improving the security of paper documents.

• Abuse of CITES permits and certificates is a global problem particularly affecting the trade of precious timber, caviar, and live animals such as primates, birds, and reptiles.
• Methods of document abuse are diverse and include the intentional declaration of false information (such as species or source), modifying documents after issuance, using counterfeit or expired documents, re-using or photocopying permits, and using stolen documents.
• Corruption among government officials is a primary enabler of illegal wildlife trade, as 'legitimate' documents can be obtained directly from corrupt officials, removing the need for falsification.
• Corruption risks are highest at the point of issuance, where officials act as gatekeepers and may use their discretion to extort bribes or accept payments to circumvent procedures.
• The eCITES initiative aims to reduce corruption by automating processes and removing direct interactions between applicants and issuers, though it is noted to be more effective against petty corruption than grand corruption involving high-level officials.
• To secure paper-based systems, the document recommends using standard forms, security paper, security stamps, and avoiding the retrospective issuance of documents.

APA

Outhwaite, W. (2020). Addressing corruption in CITES documentation processes. WWF International. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2479/Topic-Brief-Addressing-corruption-in-CITES-documentation-processes.pdf

Chicago

Outhwaite, Willow. Addressing corruption in CITES documentation processes. WWF International, 2020. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2479/Topic-Brief-Addressing-corruption-in-CITES-documentation-processes.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Outhwaite |first1=Willow |title=Addressing corruption in CITES documentation processes |publisher=WWF International |date=March 2020 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2479/Topic-Brief-Addressing-corruption-in-CITES-documentation-processes.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{outhwaite2020addressing, author = {Outhwaite, Willow}, title = {{Addressing corruption in CITES documentation processes}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2020}, month = mar, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2479/Topic-Brief-Addressing-corruption-in-CITES-documentation-processes.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }