Today the Commission adopted an EU Action Plan to tackle wildlife trafficking within the EU and to strengthen the EU’s role in the global fight against these illegal activities.
Trafficking in endangered species, which involves live and dead specimens of wild fauna and flora, or parts of products made from them, has become one of the most profitable criminal activities worldwide. An estimated 8 to 20 billion euro pass annually through the hands of organised criminal groups, ranking alongside the trafficking of drugs, people and arms. The Action Plan comprises 32 measures to be carried out until 2020 by the EU and its 28 Member States, mobilising all EU diplomatic, trade and development cooperation tools.
This was prepared jointly by a core team co-chaired by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, with the close involvement of Commissioners for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica and for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos.
A Press release in all EU languages and a Factsheet are available online.
