Project description and aims
The implementation of the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking requires broad support, not just from the EU institutions, but also the EU agencies – Europol and Eurojust –, the Member States and their relevant agencies, the EU delegations, Member States Embassies in third countries.
This project aims to support the effective implementation of the EU Action Plan by identifying good practices, fostering cross-border cooperation, and facilitating the development of practical tools and strategies for enforcement authorities across the EU and IMPEL Members.
First Step 2020-2023
Between 2020 and 2023, the project concentrated on organizing joint inspections and thematic workshops across multiple EU Member States, fostering the exchange of good practices and solutions to common implementation challenges. It also focused on analyzing intelligence strategies to combat organized wildlife crime and producing detailed reports with case studies, inspection findings, enforcement gaps, and practical guidance.
"A Guidance on EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking" and other project reports are published under "Project Outputs" menu on the right-hand side.
Next Steps and Planned Activities
Building on the results from the first phase, the next phase of the project (2025–2027) aims to update, refine, and widely disseminate the existing reference guide, with a strong focus on implementation in practice. Planned activities include:
- Hosting additional workshops and joint inspections to test and improve the guide;
- Enhancing cross-border collaboration between enforcement authorities, including police, prosecutors, and judges;
- Promoting the harmonization of practices and interpretation of EU tools and legislation;
- Identifying and addressing implementation gaps, especially regarding non-CITES listed species;
- Supporting efforts to tackle online wildlife trafficking and the growing exotic pet trade;
- Increasing public awareness of the evaluation results and the broader impact of the illegal wildlife trade;
- Collaborating with international actors such as UNODC, ICCWC, ENPE, EUFJE, and EnviCrimeNet to align global and regional efforts;
- Enhancing training, capacity-building, and specialization across the enforcement chain.
Ultimately, the project helps to strengthen Europe’s role in the global fight against wildlife trafficking and ensures more effective, unified action by combining practical tools, legal insights, and tested field strategies.