TNAG-2133-FCO40-3048-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 92

43-08-1990

12:23

FROM

CITES LAUSANNE

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P.01

keep me in the

↑ Please ADC 718 SE

CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA

Bietni.

SECRETARIAT

6, rue du Maupas

Case postale 78

CH-1000 Lausanne 9, Switzerland

Our ref.:

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Telegrams:

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CITES Lausanne

Tel.: (021) 20 00 81

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To:

Attn:

From:

Date:

CITES Management Authority, Hong Kong

P.K. Chan, for Director of Agriculture & Fisheries

Douglas Hykle, CITES Secretariat 3 August 1990

&

Pages: 1

It is

Thank you very much for providing a description of Hong Kong's regulations with respect to imports and exports of personal effects made of ivory. regrettable that Hong Kong's strict provisions were not made public sooner, the harsh criticism that appeared recently in the British press might have been avoided.

To help set the record straight, the Secretariat is revising the notes that accompany the table in Ivory Notification No. 47, of 7 May 1990, to reflect the current situation in Hong Kong.

Please let me know if the following text is an accurate reflection of your domestic regulations:

"Hong Kong was the beneficiary of a reservation entered by the United Kingdom on its behalf, for a period of six months ending 17 July 1990. It had nonetheless adopted a voluntary moratorium on all commercial imports of raw and worked ivory (on 16 June 1989 and 18 November 1989, respectively). Since October 1989, Hong Kong has required licences for the possession of both raw and worked ivory. Domestic regulations with respect to personal or household effects, stricter than required under CITES, came into effect on 17 July 1990. Hong Kong residents must obtain an import licence to import worked ivory in excess of 1 kg as personal effects, for noncommercial purposes. An import licence is not required to import worked ivory less than 1 kg, under the Article VII, paragraph 3, exemption. Similarly, Hong Kong residents must obtain an export licence to export personal effects of worked ivory in excess of 5 kg, subject to the prior grant of an import permit.

Visitors who purchase any amount of ivory in Hong Kong for personal, noncommercial use are required to obtain an export licence, as well as an import licence from their country of usual residence, before being allowed to take it out of Hong Kong.

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In

I here this serves to make the Parties aware of Hong Kong's restrictions. this regard, I would be interested to learn of the measures that will be taken in consultation with the Hong Kong Tourist Association to inform visitors accordingly.

With best wishes,

Administered by the United Nations Environment Programme