N-VA, Belgium’s largest political party, wants the EU to get tough on illegal ivory trade

This month the European Commission will decide on new measures to restrict the domestic European ivory trade. In October London is hosting an international conference on wildlife trafficking. MEP Mark Demesmaeker is calling on his European colleagues “not to miss these two key opportunities to save the elephant”.

Emboldened by this week’s reports on the significant volumes of ivory dated after March 3rd 1947 being traded under the ‘antiques exception’ without certificates,   

Mark Demesmaeker and Federal MP Werner Janssen urge the European Commission to tackle the illegal ivory trade.

Mark stresses that “elephant poaching both harms the economies of the targeted African countries, and raises billions for international criminal and terrorist networks.”     

Werner Janssen questions the EU’s double standards on ivory trade: ”It seems illegal ivory trafficking is still taking place in the EU on a significant scale. Up to 30.000 elephants are killed every year for their tusks. This must stop now.”    

They believe it’s possible to end the illegal ivory trade in Europe, through just four efficient and effective measures:   

• Ban the ‘antiques exception’, which today still enables the trade of objects made from or containing ivory dated before March 3rd 1947 without certificates. Prohibit antique dealers to certify themselves the age of objects made from or containing ivory which they are selling.
• Mandatory carbon dating for every object with an ivory content over 20% and a value estimated over € 2.000 by the competent/designated authority, before a certificate can be issued for that object by that authority.
• A permanent ban on the import and export of raw ivory. Strong restrictions on the import and export of ivory objects and objects containing ivory (with possible exceptions for objects over 100 years old, objects with a low ivory content, and exchanges/transactions between museums recognized by the International Council of Museums).
• Ban the trade of raw ivory. Ban the trade of objects made from or containing ivory, dated after the entry into force of the CITES convention on July 1th 1975.

Mark and Werner are determined: “The elephant could disappear within 20 years. Let’s not become the generation that wipes out this magnificent giant.”