CITES Article 10 Certificates

The Everything Bird guide to obtaining CITES Article 10 (A10) Certificates for captive / pet birds – including parrots, parakeets and other avian species.

What, or who, is CITES?

“CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.” – CITES (2019)

CITES maintains lists of species for whom trade is controlled, known as Appendices I, II and III, with the most endangered listed in Appendix I. The CITES Appendices are used to create Annexes A, B, and C in the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations, which are currently enforced in the United Kingdom.

When is CITES paperwork required?

Special paperwork is required before Annex A species can legally be “used commercially”. What does this mean in practice? The following scenarios would all require a CITES Article 10 Certificate for Commercial Use:

Buying a bird
Selling a bird
Having a bird on display in a pet shop
Having a bird on display in a collection that is open to the public
Using a bird as part of an ‘animal encounter’
Showing a bird as part of a public display
Breeding a bird with the intention of selling the offspring

Commonly kept birds listed in Annex A

Some of the birds commonly kept in aviculture for whom an Article 10 Certificate is required include:

Amazon parrots – Yellow-naped Amazon, Yellow-shouldered Amazon, Lilac-crowned Amazon, Saint Vincent Amazon, Imperial Amazon, Cuban Amazon, Yellow-headed Amazon, Saint Lucia Amazon, Vinaceous Amazon
Macaws – Hyacinth Macaw, Buffon’s / Great Green Macaw, Blue-throated Macaw, Scarlet Macaw, Military Macaw, Red-fronted Macaw, Blue-headed Macaw
Cockatoos – Goffin’s Cockatoo, Moluccan Cockatoo, Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Palm Cockatoo
African Grey Parrot – required since January 2017 – see Paperwork for African Grey Parrots
Other commonly kept parrots and parakeets – Red-and-blue Lory, Horned Parakeet, Golden Conure, Blue-throated Conure
Birds of prey – most of the commonly kept species of falcons, eagles, hawks and owls
Other birds – Bali Starling / Rothschild’s Myna

Please note that the common names shown can sometimes be ambiguous and the above is by no means exhaustive, please see the full list of Annexes A, B, and C, including the scientific (Latin) names of the species.

How to apply for an CITES Article 10 Certificate

The CITES Article 10 Certificate application forms are available to download from the government Animal and Plant Health Agency web page “Endangered species: application for commercial use“. Forms can be filled in electronically and emailed (use the interactive Word document version), or printed and posted (use the PDF version).

Top Tips

If you are working with the interactive Word document, take care that your form remains on ONE page – this can be a reason for returning your application form which can delay the process.
Submit ONE application form for each bird that you are applying for, even if you are applying for certificates for two or more nest mates.
Make sure you have all your information and documentation to hand before you start the process; scan and save copies if you are submitting your application by email.

Use the guidance notes printed on page 2 of the application form to help complete the form. Depending on the circumstances, many boxes may need to be left blank. From experience, the parts which cause the most confusion are:

The tick boxes on the top right – this will usually need to be the middle box marked “Certificate for commercial activities.
Box 4 – include the leg ring or microchip details here, and add any information on sex, age, date purchased, colour etc. Applications for own-bred birds should include the Article 10 Certificate numbers of the parent birds. Include the code LIV to indicate a live bird, for other codes see the Article 10 Guidance Notes.
Box 5 – the weight of the bird
Box 6 – the number of birds on the application (usually 1 – see Top Tips, above).
Boxes 7 and 16 – the CITES Appendix number and the scientific (Latin) name for the species can both be found at Appendices I, II and III.
Box 8 – the EU Annex for the species, found at Annexes A, B, and C.
Boxes 9, 18 and 19 are covered in the Article 10 Guidance Notes and will depend on individual circumstances.
Fill out boxes 11 and 12 only if you have a relevant permit to submit
Fill out boxes 13, 14 and 15 only if you have imported from an EU member state and have import documentation.
Box 17 is the common name (i.e. English name) for the species. e.g. African Grey
Box 20 is for any additional comments, you can use this space to list any attachments that you will be sending.
For email submissions, you must include a special paragraph where you would normally sign, again this is set out in the Article 10 Guidance Notes.
Remember to fill out your full name and date at the bottom of the form.

Along with your application form, you will need to provide some or all of the following evidence:

Details of the unique identification marking of the individual. This can be photographs and/or documentation relating to a closed leg ring (clearly showing all numbers and letters). If there is no leg ring, or it is an open ring then the bird must be microchipped and the registration certificate submitted. For more information on microchipping see Microchipping Parrots and Other Birds.
A letter from you, or a previous current owner or breeder, explaining the background of the bird and giving relevant dates of hatching and purchase where possible.
Dated documentation from your vet or pet insurance provider.
A written statement from a neighbour, friend or colleague to confirm relevant dates.

It can be helpful to summarise by way of a covering letter the circumstances of the bird you are applying for. This can be used to list any evidence that you are providing and supply any additional contact details that may be relevant .

How to submit a CITES Article 10 Application form

Applications must be accompanied by payment – at the time of writing (July 2019) the fee is £31 per bird. For applications by post, include a cheque with your application form. For applications via email it is possible to phone and pay by credit or debit card and submit your payment reference with your application form.

Details of the current fee, how to pay and where to send completed applications forms can be found at the Government webpage Apply for CITES permits and certificates to trade endangered species.

At the time of writing, the email address to use for electronic applications and supporting documents is wildlife.licensing@apha.gov.uk and the fee is £31.

Summary of links to forms and guidance documents

Forms and guidance on CITES Article 10
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/endangered-species-application-for-commercial-use

Application Form (Microsoft Word version), as used in the worked example in this guide
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/704852/form-fed1012-wd.doc

Application Form (PDF version), as used in the worked example in this guide
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/704851/form-fed1012.pdf

CITES appendices
https://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php

Annexes A,B,C,D
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2017.027.01.0001.01.ENG

Additional guidance and codes for completing the application form https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/704839/guid-fed1012.pdf

References

CITES, 2019. What is CITES? Available online at https://www.cites.org/eng/disc/what.php. Accessed 13/07/19.

About
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Catalina Tate

I’m Catalina and I’ve always loved birds.

Outside, inside, wild or domesticated.

There’s something about birds that makes the world seem more alive and makes my life richer.

The past

It began with bird-watching trips with my parents from the age of 4 and continued throughout my childhood with trips to zoos and nature reserves both at home and abroad. I could name over fifty species of exotic waterfowl while I was still at primary school (cinnamon teal anyone?) and my fascination never waned.

Despite the plethora of other pets at home (cat, stick insects, hissing cockroaches, gerbil, dwarf hamsters), birds never featured in the line-up. Perhaps partly because my Dad accidentally trod on his own pet budgie at the age of 11?

The present

My first pet birds were chickens. A wedding present from friends, we were given three beautiful blue-laced bantam Wyandotte pullets. These were soon followed by three friendly-but-dim light Sussex bantam pullets and two buff rock bantam pullets. Hens have been a permanent feature in our garden ever since.

My husband and I purchased our first parrot in 2011 – Jo, our blue-fronted Amazon. By this point we had established our own bird supplies shop in Boldon http://www.gardenfeathers.co.uk, so we knew she could be with us 24/7.

The flock soon expanded to include a rescue cockatiel (Paul), a yellow-thighed caique (Skippy), a donated African Grey (Jimmy), two rainbow lorikeets brothers (Bert and Ernie), several pairs of Celestial Parrotlets and most recently a pair of black-headed caiques.

The future

I don’t know where life will take me, but if there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s that birds will always be a part of my past, present and future.

Catalina Tate