Wildlife Trafficking: An Emerging Threat to European Security?

Vasileia Kakarouka

doi:10.12681/hapscpbs.29506

Abstract

Illegal wildlife trade is a multidimensional phenomenon that is present in every state. Although, the repercussions of this criminal activity are mainly linked with biodiversity and the survival of rare species, many dangers occur regarding national and supranational security. Given the fact that wildlife trafficking currently thrives in European states, this paper intends to explain the ways that wildlife trafficking has affected the EU and examine its connection with security strategies. Therefore, the essay proposes specific measures that need to be adopted at European level to bridge the differences among national policies. In the end, concrete assumptions are provided concerning the efficiency of the European Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) in relation with the topic.

Highlights

Wildlife trafficking is a serious transnational crime that poses a threat to the environment and to national and supranational security (Biegus & Bueger, 2017)
Bearing in mind this information, this essay aims to respond to the following research question: In which ways wildlife trafficking represents a security threat and how the EU could contribute to the resolution of the problem?
Bearing in mind the aforementioned gaps in EU policies, the researcher proposes the creation of special scoreboards and indicators included in EU annual reports concerning the progress made in this field. These scoreboards will analyze which states consider wildlife trafficking as a “serious environmental crime” – term defined by the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, what type of sanctions are predicted by each country and how many animals, animal derivatives or plants are seized by each member state annually

Summary

Introduction

Wildlife trafficking is a serious transnational crime that poses a threat to the environment and to national and supranational security (Biegus & Bueger, 2017). Given the fact that during the current Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027), 8 billion euros have been attributed to the European Defense Fund (EDF) (European Commission, 2021), it is time for the Union to revise its security priorities. Bearing in mind this information, this essay aims to respond to the following research question: In which ways wildlife trafficking represents a security threat and how the EU could contribute to the resolution of the problem?. An important mention of the EU’s involvement is

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Findings

Conclusions