TNAG-2131-FCO40-3046-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 3

THE BILL

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Clause 3 of the Bill provides that the Director shall not issue an import or export licence in respect of highly endangered species listed in the sixth schedule, save in specified circumstances. The se circumstances provide for the continued import and export of personal possessions, of preconvention stock, of scient fic (including circuses) public interest.

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specimens,

exhibitions and other non-commercial purposes in the

Clause 4 introduces a new, sixth, schedule

schedule which consists of all CITES Appendix I species.

LEGISLATIVE TIMETABLE

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Subject to Members' approval of the introduction of

Legislative Council,

this Bill into the timetable will be

Publication in the Gazette

First Reading and commencement of the Second Reading debate

Resumption of Second Reading debate, committee stage and Third Reading

FINANCIAL AND STAFFING IMPLICATIONS

the legislative

23 March 1990

4 April 1990

to be notified

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Control over commercial imports and exports of ivory and other highly endangered species has been achieved hitherto by the Director examining each individual application for an import and export licence and having to make an individual decision on a case by case basis. In practice the volume of such applications has been very small. introduction of the provision that the Director of Agriculture & Fisheries should refuse to issue licences in respect of scheduled species should curtail the number of applications for licences which would otherwise arise There should thus be no additional financial or staffing implications.

Implications for Traders abd Workers

>

•

The

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With most consuming countries having banned the import of ivory the prospects for international trade in the commodity are poor whether or not the Bill is introduced. To provide more time for traders to dispose of their stocks to those markets which remain open in an orderly way and for

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