Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the EU Approach against Wildlife Trafficking

In February 2014 the European Commission adopted a Communication, 'the EU approach against wildlife trafficking', which takes stock of EU involvement in global efforts to combat the problem. It launched a stakeholder consultation and set out the areas on which the EU and its international partners should enhance their efforts:

• Strengthening the enforcement of legal instruments, such as the regulations on wildlife trade, on timber and on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
• Investing more in training and capacity building of environmental enforcement practitioners, customs authorities, prosecutors and judges, and securing long-term support of their networks.
• Integrating environmental crime into the fight against organised crime, emphasising detection of illegal financial flows and enhancing cross-border cooperation mechanisms.
• Engaging civil society and taking better advantage of its expertise in activities such as awareness raising campaigns, investigations into alleged illegal conduct or specialised trainings.