CITES Permit

A CITES permit or certificate is required if your business keeps, transports, imports, or exports protected animal and plant species. CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) protects endangered species from overexploitation through international trade. This affects pet shops, exotic animal breeders, plant nurseries, leather goods manufacturers, and other businesses dealing in protected species or products derived from them.

The permit is issued by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO, Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland). You apply through the RVO website, providing documentation about the species, their origin, and the purpose of trade or transport. Processing times vary depending on the type of permit. Trading in protected species without proper CITES documentation is a criminal offence.

Requirements

  • Protected species: Applies to animals and plants listed in CITES appendices
  • Activities: Required for import, export, re-import, possession and transport
  • Legal origin: Applicant must demonstrate legal origin of specimen
  • No threat: Activity must not pose threat to survival of the species

Procedure

  • Application: Submit application to Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)
  • Documents: Provide evidence of legal origin and purpose of activity
  • Assessment: RVO assesses application and may consult experts
  • Permit: If approved, CITES document is issued
  • Duration: Processing time varies depending on type of application

Restrictions

  • Commercial trade: Commercial trade is prohibited for some species
  • Quota: Import quotas apply for certain species
  • Validity period: Permit has limited validity period
  • Inspection: Customs inspects CITES documents at border crossing