{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-1997-338/article-16",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-1997-338/article-16.json",
  "legislation": "eur/1997/338",
  "legislation_title": "Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-1997-338",
  "path": "article/16",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "16",
  "heading": "Sanctions",
  "text": "1. The following are infringements of this Regulation:\n(a) introduction into, or export or re-export from, Great Britain of specimens without the appropriate permit or certificate or with a false, falsified or invalid permit or certificate or one altered without authorization by the issuing authority;\n(b) failure to comply with the stipulations specified on a permit or certificate issued in accordance with this Regulation;\n(c) making a false declaration or knowingly providing false information in order to obtain a permit or certificate;\n(d) using a false, falsified or invalid permit or certificate or one altered without authorization as a basis for obtaining a permit or certificate issued in accordance with this Regulation or for any other official purpose in connection with this Regulation;\n(e) making no import notification or a false import notification;\n(f) shipment of live specimens not properly prepared so as to minimize the risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment;\n(g) use of specimens of species listed in Annex A other than in accordance with the authorization given at the time of issuance of the import permit or subsequently;\n(h) trade in artificially propagated plants contrary to the provisions laid down in accordance with Article 7(1)(b);\n(i) shipment of specimens into or out of or in transit through Great Britain without the appropriate permit or certificate issued in accordance with this Regulation and, in the case of export or re-export from a third country party to the Convention, in accordance therewith, or without satisfactory proof of the existence of such permit or certificate;\n(j) purchase, offer to purchase, acquisition for commercial purposes, use for commercial gain, display to the public for commercial purposes, sale, keeping for sale, offering for sale or transporting for sale of specimens in contravention of Article 8;\n(k) use of a permit or certificate for any specimen other than one for which it was issued;\n(l) falsification or alteration of any permit or certificate issued in accordance with this Regualation;\n(m) failure to disclose rejection of an application for an import, export or re-export permit or certificate, in accordance with Article 6 (3).\n2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n3. Where a specimen is confiscated, it shall be entrusted to the relevant competent authority of the United Kingdom which:\n(a) following consultation with the relevant scientific authority of the United Kingdom, shall place or otherwise dispose of the specimen under conditions which it deems to be appropriate and consistent with the purposes and provisions of the Convention and this Regulation; and\n(b) in the case of a live specimen which has been introduced into Great Britain, may, after consultation with the State of export, return the specimen to that State at the expense of the convicted person.\n4. Where a live specimen of a species listed in Annex B or C arrives at a point of introduction into Great Britain without the appropriate valid permit or certificate, the specimen must be seized and may be confiscated or, if the consignee refuses to acknowledge the specimen, the relevant competent authority of the United Kingdom may, if appropriate, refuse to accept the shipment and require the carrier to return the specimen to its place of departure.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in Art. 16(1) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environment and Wildlife (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1395), regs. 1(2), 7(17)(a)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in Art. 16(1)(a) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environment and Wildlife (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1395), regs. 1(2), 7(17)(a)(ii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in Art. 16(1)(d) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environment and Wildlife (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1395), regs. 1(2), 7(17)(a)(iii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in Art. 16(1)(i) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environment and Wildlife (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1395), regs. 1(2), 7(17)(a)(iv)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Word in Art. 16(1)(m) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environment and Wildlife (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1395), regs. 1(2), 7(17)(a)(v)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Art. 16(2) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Environment and Wildlife (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1395), regs. 1(2), 7(17)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in Art. 16(3) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environment and Wildlife (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1395), regs. 1(2), 7(17)(c)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in Art. 16(3)(a) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environment and Wildlife (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1395), regs. 1(2), 7(17)(c)(ii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in Art. 16(3)(b) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environment and Wildlife (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1395), regs. 1(2), 7(17)(c)(iii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in Art. 16(4) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environment and Wildlife (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1395), regs. 1(2), 7(17)(d)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Words in Art. 16(4) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environment and Wildlife (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1395), regs. 1(2), 7(17)(d)(ii)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/1997/338/article/16",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T14:58:53.004690+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}