How to get CITES certificate in UK? and elsewhere for shipping items with ivory
 

It is getting v difficult for shipping agents to accept items for shipment if the invoice clearly state the item contain ivory material. The most direct solution is probably to obtain CITES certificate for the item but how difficult/easy is this?

Can anyone explain for example if we want to ship out from UK to elsewhere?

1: Who can apply for this certificate? Designated shipping agent? any other specific people that can handle this?

2: How long will it take from time of application to getting it?

3: Cost involved?

Thanks in advance for comments and response.

I've had a conversation with a US Customs Specialist about this recently, and he was very helpful. He's based in Alaska with the Walrus Ivory Taskforce. If you're shipping to the US, he's a good resource.

The key point, though, is that you're going to want to work with an experienced shipper so that they can properly fulfill all of the requirements.

Please don't rely on the following. It is only meant to be informative and not to be relied on for shipping or obtaining a CITES or Pre-CITES permit.

The basic steps for are:

1. Apply for a Pre-CITES or CITES Export Permit from the UK Government, depending on the age of the ivory.

2. Have the relevant UK customs authority validate the permit and sign off on the export. This step is typically neglected, and it will get rejected by the destination Customs authorities.

The more detailed steps are:
1. Application for CITES Permit:
A. Note materials from animal species
B. Scientific name of animal species
C. Date you acquired the object
D. Date you purchased the object
E. Country of last export
F. Quality photos showing relevant materials
2. Affidavits:
A. Affidavit 1: classification of material by species and rationale for classification. This should include the scientific name of the species.
B. Affidavit 2: stating circa date of the item, testify to its antiquity, and advise on its pre-Act or pre-Amendment status. This should include a statement that the walrus ivory pre-dates 1972. To also comply with California law, you'd also need a statement based on a reasonable rationale that it is over 100 years old, and an estimate of the volume of the whole item, an estimate of the volume of the ivory component, and a statement that the ivory makes up less than 5% of the total volume.
C. Affidavit 3: stating species and origin, with supporting arguments and rationale. Affidavit 3 would also require a provenance statement from you to show that the origin of the ivory is pre-1972, and likely came from which country, with rationale.
3. Sign off on permit; won't be signed off on until it is in the warehouse and inspected.

More details here (the above taken from pp 87-90): http://www.connectingtocollections.o...int-Slides.pdf

If you PM me, I can give you a recommendation of a UK shipper who has been willing to obtain a Pre-CITES permit on an item for me.

Many thanks Vilhemsonn!

I' will pm you.

Hi, I have bid ivory items and weapons with ivory parts many times from different auction houses from UK and if shipped inside EU they wont need any permits.Never have any problems, usually have used Mailboxes. I live in Finland.
Regards, Tapani

Thanks Tapani for the info. I've in fact never had any problem getting my items from UK before and as recently as three months ago Mailbox etc shipped my items but not this time for some reason.

I would ask the big auction houses/Museums/dealers for advise, as thay must know. Maybe I would try the museums first, as they dont have any money involved.