European Commission, Press release, Brussels, 10 April 2014 -
Following an invitation by the
European Commission, 170 experts met today in Brussels to discuss how
the EU can better fight wildlife trafficking.
The conference marked the end of a public consultation which was launched on 7 February with a Communication by the Commission (COM (2014) 64 final). The background of the Commission's
initiative is the surge in wildlife trafficking globally over the last
years which has reached a level that threatens the survival of some
endangered species and undermines good governance and sustainable
development. Organised crime is significantly involved in this lucrative
business, also within the EU.