It is important for anyone seeking to identify and mitigate risks of wildlife crime to understand the main regulatory frameworks governing the trade. The following section gives a very brief overview of the main international convention governing the trade in wild species and related national laws under this convention. An additional highly relevant international instrument is the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), described in Section 5.2.

CITES is an international agreement between 183 governments ratified to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

CITES provides protections for over 38,700 species, including roughly 5,950 species of animals and 32,800 species of plants. Member states vote to list species under CITES Appendices according to how threatened they are by international trade, and how much protection they require.

• Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction and provides the greatest level of protection, including restrictions on commercial trade.
• Appendix II includes species currently not threatened with extinction, but which are vulnerable to over-exploitation. Appendix II species require export or re-export permits by national CITES authorities, but do not require import permits unless specified under national legislation.
• Appendix III includes species protected in at least one country which has asked CITES Parties for assistance in controlling trade. The species are not necessarily threatened with extinction. These species require export and re-export permits.

Each member state appoints its own CITES Management Authority, which has the responsibility to administer the licence system, and at least one Scientific Authority to advise on the effects of trade on the species.