Coral Trade

Regulations/Laws on Coral Trade

The Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is an international agreement entered into force in 1975 to prevent species from becoming extinct as a result of international trade. Regulated through export and import permits, CITES applies to species whose populations may be threatened by international trade. There are approximately 5,000 species of animals and 28,000 species of plants included in the CITES three appendices. Proposals to include species in Appendices I and II are considered by the 175 CITES countries at a Conference of the Parties every two to three years. Within the last 30 years, no species that has been included in CITES has gone extinct, thus illustrating its ability to be successful.

he Regulation (CE) No. 338/97 of 9 December 1996, it implemented within the Community legal order with effect from 1 January 1984 the regulations contained in the Washington Convention of 1975. From 1 July 2008 at the request of the Chinese species of coral from Asia (Corallium Secundum, Corallium Elatius, Corallium Japonicum e Corallium Konojoi came in third CITES Appendix. After that date, the international sales outside the European Union member states of these species is regulated under current legislation which implemented the international standards can be downloaded from website: www.cites.org.

Documents required for sale between professional seller and private buyer

If the sale happens between two private people or between a professional operator and a non-resident private within one of the countries of the UE, the CITES documentation is not required. Some countries outside the EU with more restrictive legislation require a CITES certificate to accompany the goods on sale. Sometimes, shipments of coral jewelry, may be delayed delivery for documents verification of goods.

Coral Species At Risk Of Extinction?

The corals are about 8 Corallidae families. They are found in tropical, subtropical and temperate waters of all oceans and in depths between 10 and 5,000 meters. The corals that are employed in jewelery are Corallium Rubrum of the Mediterranean and North-eastern Atlantic, and Corallium Secundum, Corallium Konojoi, Corallium Elatius, Corallium Japonicum from the Pacific.

Experts from 178 nations gathered at the CITES Conference in The Hague in the Netherlands from 3 to 15 June 2007 established that coral it is not in danger of extinction is not among the species protected by CITES. In particular, there are no restrictions on national trade and international Red Coral from the scientific name corallium rubrum. The coral of the Coral Reef must not be confused (Reef) whose collection is prohibited, with the coral of the family Corallidae used in jewelry.