Division 2

The Union should adopt an ambitious position for the 18th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CITES CoP 18), in line with relevant Union policies and international commitments in these fields, in particular the targets relating to wildlife under Sustainable Development Goal 15, the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011‐2020 and the Aichi Targets agreed under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the CITES Strategic Vision^f1 and UN General Assembly Resolution 71/326 on wildlife trafficking. The Union’s position should also serve to attain the relevant objectives set out at Union level through the Council Conclusions of 21 June 2011 on the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 and the Council Conclusions of 20 June 2016 on the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking, and through the EU Action Plan on the Conservation and Management of Sharks.