Ebay to ban cross-border ivory sales

Online auction site, Ebay, is to ban all cross-border trade of ivory products globally from the end of June.

The company also said it would tighten its policies to make sellers of ivory products aware that certification may be required for them to legally sell ivory items within their own country.

The move follows intense public pressure by wildlife groups, lead by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), which said sales of ivory were helping to drive up the "illegal trade which was putting elephants at risk".

This group singled out Ebay for particular criticism saying that in February it found that 94 per cent of elephant ivory for sale on its sites was potentially illegal and that sales policies varied from country to country and were often vague and not enforced.

IFAW said the auction site was not regulating its policy on ivory sales or ensuring sellers had the correct documentation. It said research it had carried out on the website discovered that of the 424 elephant ivory items listed, only 10 were "fully compliant" with the Ebay's policy on ivory sale.

Ebay's announcement comes as more than 170 nations convene in The Hague for the 14th meeting of the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) to consider a 20-year elephant ivory trade moratorium.

By the end of this month, Ebay sellers will only be allowed to list ivory products for sale in their own country. Ebay said it will take down any ivory products listed that offer international shipping, and will also make sellers aware that to be permitted to sell ivory within their country they may need to certify that the item they possess can be sold legally.

Matt Halprin, Ebay’s vice president of policy management, said: “It’s the right thing to do. We already have stringent regulations in place for the sale of ivory in countries such as Germany.

"What we are doing now is strengthening our ivory policy to ban all cross-border trade and provide clarity to those who wish to buy or sell Ivory on Ebay sites.”

It is illegal in the UK to buy or sell ivory unless specific criteria have been met. The ivory must have been carved before 1947. Paperwork must be produced to prove a piece is 'antique'; if this is not available the seller must approach the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for certification.

The IFAW warned consumers that they could get into trouble for unknowingly buying or selling illegal pieces of ivory via the internet.

Although it strongly welcomed Ebay’s current move, the IFAW still says it will not be enough to stop the illegal ivory trade. Because it is so difficult to ascertain if an ivory item is antique, it wants to see a complete ban on the trade of ivory both on and offline.

Rosa Hill, a representative for the IFAW said: “We are very pleased with Ebay’s ban on cross-border trading. It sends out the right message and is a step in the right direction.

“But we would like to see a complete ban on ivory trading and will be working closely with Ebay to monitor that ivory items don’t get listed.”

She also said people who had family heirlooms carved from ivory, who did not want to destroy or sell these, could send them to the IFAW. The organisation would use the items for education purposes or destroy them.