The UNECE/UNESCAP Task Force on Electronic CITES Permit Exchange supports interested Management Authorities (MAs) and other relevant national stakeholders of CITES parties in initiating and carrying out  pilot-based and/or live electronic exchanges of CITES permits among them, contributing to prevention of fraudulent use of CITES permits, facilitation of legal trade and improvement of annual reporting of CITES trade.

The Task Force closely cooperates with the CITES Working Group on electronic Systems and Information Technology, the UN/CEFACT Agriculture Fisheries and Agri Food Domain and the UNNExT Advisory Group on Agricultural Trade Facilitation.

The Task Force is open to MAs with primary focus is those Management Authorities located in the UNECE and ESCAP region and that already have electronic CITES permit systems. Management Authorities located other than in the UNECE and UNESCAP region can also participate as observers.

The Task Force carries out the following activities:

• Regular physical and virtual meetings
• Support to participating MAs on arranging and executing pilot/live electronic exchange of CITES Permits
• Capacity building, in connection with events of UNECE, ESCAP, CITES and other partners
• Sharing of practical lessons learned from implementation
• Advocacy through development of guidelines, briefs, etc., in particular in connection with activities of UNNExT and UN/CEFACT
• Studies and research on further advancing electronic exchange of CITES Permits among MAs as well as facilitation of electronic information exchange between MAs and other regulatory agencies
• Contribute to the development of relevant standards and best practice through drafting of guidelines, recommendations and technical specifications.