81st Meeting of the CITES Standing Committee

About the 81st meeting of the CITES Standing Committee

The CITES Standing Committee is the governing body that plays an important role in steering the work and performance of the Convention in the periods between the meetings of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (World Wildlife Conference). The Committee is tasked with providing policy and general operational guidance on the Convention’s implementation and enforcement and to oversee the implementation of the decisions and resolutions adopted at the 20th World Wildlife Conference (CITES CoP20 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, 2025). It will also consider recommendations from the CITES Animals Committee and Plants Committee (the two CITES Scientific Committees) on the conservation and trade of amphibians, jaguars, lions, edible tuberous orchids, Brazilwood, elephants, and other species.

The 81st Standing Committee meeting of CITES (SC81) will address compliance matters, including the application of Article XIII, trade in captive-bred specimens, and National Ivory Action Plans (NIAPs). It will address illegal trade and enforcement matters, including tortoises and great apes, as well as wildlife crime linked to the Internet. The Committee will discuss regulatory matters, such as electronic CITES permitting systems (eCITES), Introduction from the Sea, Legal Acquisition Findings and traceability systems for tree species. Other agenda items include strategic matters, such as enhancing the work and efficiency of the Convention, capacity-building, CITES and people, and the conservation and trade of big cats, elephants, sharks and rays, seahorses and Brazilwood.

Working Programme

Side Events

Monday, 2 November 2026

• ICCWC Side Event | Organized by CITES Secretariat | 13:45 – 15:15 CET | CICG, Room 4
• Safer Wildlife Trade | Organized by Born Free Foundation; Four Paws; International Alliance Against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade; The Donkey Sanctuary; Wildlife Conservation Society | 13:45 – 15:15 CET | CICG, Room 9
• Licensed TCM products | Organized by Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) UK | 13:45 – 15:15 CET | CICG, Room 11 & 12
• Securing Big Cats | Organized by International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) | 13:45 – 15:15 CET | CICG, Room 14
• Vaquita and Community | Organized by México | 13:45 – 15:15 CET | Infirmary

Tuesday, 3 November 2026

• ICCWC Side Event | Organized by CITES Secretariat | 12:15 – 13:45 CET | Room 4
• UAE’s NIRAP | Organized by Ministry of Climate Change and Environment UAE | 12:15 – 14:45 CET | Infirmary
• IN-WILD project | Organized by IUCN | 17:15 – 18:45 CET | Room 4
• Zoonosis & Wildlife Trade | Organized by the World Organisation for Animal Health as Secretariat of the International Alliance Against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade | 17:15 – 18:45 CET | Infirmary

Wednesday, 4 November 2026

• UAE eCITES Journey | Organized by The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment UAE | 12:15 – 13:45 CET | Infirmary
• New UNTOC Protocol | Organized by The Royal Foundation, Peru, Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Justice Commission, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, Environmental Investigation Agency UK | 17:15 – 18:45 CET | Room 4
• Wildlife Economy | Organized by Zimbabwe | 17:15 – 18:45 CET | Infirmary

Thursday, 5 November 2026

• LAF’s high-risk species | Organized by Pro Wildlife | 12:15 – 13:45 CET | Room 4
• Music Science and Trade | Organized by Forest Based Solutions and Overseas Traders | 12:15 – 13:45 CET | Room 13
• CTSP | Organized by CITES Secretariat | 12:15 – 13:45 CET | Infirmary
• CITES shark compliance WCS | 17:15 – 18:45 CET | Room 4
• Trade in Orchids | Organized by Switzerland and IUCN Orchid Specialist Group | 17:15 – 18:45 CET | Room 11 & 12
• Voluntary Surrenders | Organized by Zoological Society of London, co-hosted by WWF Colombia | 17:15 – 18:45 CET | Room 13
• MAP (CITES Sec/Traffic) | Organized by CITES Secretariat | 17:15 – 18:45 CET | Room 14
• Funding CITES’ Future | Organized by Wildlife Conservation Society & UK (TBC) | 17:15 – 18:45 CET | Infirmary

Friday, 6 November 2026

• Livelihoods overstated | Organized by Born Free Foundation, Blood Lions, Collective Fashion Justice, Pro Wildlife | 12:15 – 13:45 CET | Infirmary

Geneva Environment Network Briefing on CITES 81st Standing Committee

On 8 October 2026,, CITES Secretariat organized, in collaboration with the Geneva Environment Network, a briefing ahead of the 81st meeting of the CITES Standing Committee. → Access the recording of the event, the presentations and other resources.

Links

• 81st Meeting of the CITES Standing Committee