Temporarily stop issuing licenses to import rosewood into Vietnam

Faced with the complicated situation of illegal exploitation and trade of rosewood (scientific name Dalbergia cochinchinesis) in recent times and to ensure compliance with the regulations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the CITES Management Authority of Vietnam (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) has just issued Document No. 283/CTVN-DTTT to rosewood traders regarding the management of granting export and import licenses for rosewood.

Authorities count a shipment of precious wood seized at Noi Bai International Airport. (Photo: Doan Tan/VNA)

According to the document, the Vietnam CITES Management Authority requests to temporarily stop issuing CITES permits to import rosewood from January 1, 2015 for applications to import wood originating from Cambodia and Thailand.

Temporarily stop issuing CITES permits to re-export rosewood from January 1, 2015 for temporary import and re-export shipments of rosewood from Laos and Cambodia according to regulations in Circular No. 37/2014/TT-BTC dated October 24, 2014 of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Mr. Do Quang Tung, Director of the CITES Management Authority of Vietnam, also said that CITES permits for importing rosewood from Laos will only be considered when there is confirmation of legal documents from the CITES Management Authority of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

In addition, all cases of exporting, importing and re-exporting rosewood into Vietnam must have a CITES license according to regulations./.

According to Vietnam+