Join EPO on June 28th, 2023 at the European Parliament for a unique event celebrating the revised EU Action Plan Against Wildlife Trafficking. Organized under the umbrella of the European Parliament Intergroup on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, this event aims at bringing together various EU policymakers, scientific experts, civil society and industry representatives to address ways … Read more

On May 25th, 2023 EPO hosted an online meeting on the EU enforcement action in illegal trade of cats and dogs. It provided an opportunity for the European Commission to present and give an update of this two years plan, as well for the EPO members to share their experience in tackling illegal trade of … Read more

EPO has held its annual AGM at Zoomark in Bologna, Italy on May 16th, 2023. In addition to the EPO AGM, EPO members got the opportunity to meet with their international peers.   ‍

With the recently launch of the revised EU Action Plan Against Wildlife Trafficking, the European Commission organized on March 21st, 2023 its first expert roundtable on “Reducing illegal wildlife trade: expert roundtable on behavioural change and awareness raising”. One of the two sessions organized aimed at tackling the exotic pet trade. EPO Secretary General, Nathalie … Read more

From November 14th to 25th, 2022 took place the 19th Conference of the Parties to CITES – Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora- in Panamy city, Panama. Olivier Dominikowski, EPO Vice-President, attended the event by contributing to the agenda and working documents of interest to the pet sector. Other EPO members … Read more

The European Pet Organization (EPO) – the voice of the pet sector in Europe- is highly concerned about the motion for resolution on “improving EU regulation on wild and exotic animals to be kept as pets in the European Union through an EU positive list” – reference 2022/2809(RSP))” that the European Parliament has just adopted- … Read more

On October 4th,the European Alien Species Information Network – EASIN (an initiative of the Joint Research Center of the European Commission) launched the “Beware of Aliens” campaign. EPO is one of the 49 stakeholders which has contributed to this two-years project. Communication materials dedicated to raise awareness on Invasive Alien Species linked to pets and aquatic … Read more

EPO has been contributing for these past two years to the EU funded project on raising awareness on Invasive Alien Species (IAS). Within this scope, EPO joined on September 20th, 2022 its last meeting. The final version of the communications materials developed within this two-years period have been presented. They include a poster and a video.  ‍ ‍

At the 2022 AGM, EPO Members have unanimously appointed Dominic Whitmee as their 3rd Vice President. Whitmee is currently the CEO of Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA), the UK member of EPO. Follwing his appointment, Whitmee said “ I am delighted to be appointed Vice-President of EPO. These are very challenging times and I am … Read more