May 25, 2004

Subject: Lifting of Trade Restrictions on CITES-Listed Wildlife from Panama

Background: On April 30, 2004, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service received notice from the CITES Secretariat that Panama failed to adopt required regulatory and legislative measures and satisfactorily implement and enforce the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) upon import, export, and re-export.

Upon receipt of this information, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service implemented a trade ban on CITES species from Panama effective April 30, 2004.

On May 24, 2004 the CITES Secretariat received information that Panama has shown good progress in the adoption of legislation implementing the Convention thereby satisfying he condition agreed by the Standing Committee at its 50th meeting (Geneva, March 2004).

Action: Effective immediately, the trade ban on CITES species from Panama has been lifted. The United States will allow the import, export, and the re-export of CITES species with Panama. This bulletin rescinds the bulletin dated May 5, 2004.