EPMIB Strengthens Supervision over the Registration and Keeping of Wild Animals and Plants

A working discussion was held today at the initiative of Hovhannes Martirosyan, Head of the Environmental Protection and Mining Inspection Body of the Republic of Armenia, focusing on the regulation of export, import, and keeping processes for wild animals and plants.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Head of the Inspection Body Vrej Galoyan, Head of the Biodiversity Management Department of the Ministry of Environment Sevak Baloyan, Head of the Specially Protected Nature Areas and Biodiversity Policy Department Voskehat Grigoryan, Head of the Legislation Improvement and Analysis Department of the Inspection Bodies’ Coordination Bureau under the Prime Minister’s Office Kristine Aleksanyan, as well as other sector representatives.

The discussion focused on the regulation of mechanisms for the export and import of wild animals and plants under CITES permits, amendments to standards for keeping them in captivity, and the preparation of a legislative reform package.

Welcoming the participants, Hovhannes Martirosyan emphasized that the introduction of a comprehensive, transparent, and digitalized system for the registration of wild animals and plants is a priority. This system will enable real-time identification and monitoring of each specimen’s status—from the moment of import to its place of keeping—thus preventing illegal circulation.

At the end of the meeting, a decision was made to establish a working group and set clear deadlines for submitting the legislative reform package to the Government of the Republic of Armenia for approval.