---
kind: "section"
citation: "50 C.F.R. § 23.85"
title: "50"
number: "23.85"
heading: "What is a meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP)?"
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/50/23.85"
---

# §23.85. What is a meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP)?

- (a) **Purpose.** Article XI of the Treaty provides general guidelines for meetings of the countries that have ratified, accepted, approved, or acceded to CITES. The Parties currently meet for 2 weeks every 3 years. At these meetings, the Parties consider amendments to the Appendices and resolutions and decisions to improve the implementation of CITES. The Parties adopt amendments to the lists of species in Appendix I and II and resolutions by a two-thirds majority of Parties present and voting. The Secretariat or any Party may also submit reports on wildlife and plant trade for consideration.
- (b) **CoP locations and dates.** At a CoP, Parties interested in hosting the next meeting notify the Secretariat. The Parties vote to select the location of the next CoP. Once a country has been chosen, it works with the Secretariat to set the date and specific venue. The Secretariat then notifies the Parties of the date for the next CoP.
- (c) **Attendance at a CoP.** All Parties may participate and vote at a CoP. Non-Party countries may participate, but may not vote. Organizations technically qualified in protection, conservation, or management of wildlife or plants may participate in a CoP as observers if they are approved, but they are not eligible to vote.
  - (1) International organizations must apply to the CITES Secretariat for approval to attend a CoP as an observer.
  - (2) National organizations must apply to the Management Authority of the country where they are located for approval to attend a CoP as an observer.

## Notes

### Authority

Authority: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (March 3, 1973), 27 U.S.T. 1087; and Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.

### Source

Source: 72 FR 48448, Aug. 23, 2007, unless otherwise noted.