CITES?!
 

HELLO!

Ok, anyone know if I have to get a CITES tag to buy orchids from Malaysia. Guy selling them on ebay and I dont really understand what it is...

:dunno:

I am sure that you need CITES. I think you need them for almost all (if not all) imported plants. I don't bother buying from anyone not in my country on ebay.

CITES relies on export permitting for regulation. Check the CITES website and whatever agency in the UK administers CITES. (All slipper orchids and a half-dozen or so other species are restricted to artificially propogated plants)

From what I have read yes you would need it. Anywhere in the EU is fine though.

Yes, you need CITES and a phytosanitary certificate. A lot of those Asian sellers are not honest and will not tell you that paperwork is needed. So unless the vendor mentions on the page that all the proper paperwork will be provided, stay clear of them. If the plant is available in Europe, there's no need for the hassle of shopping overseas.

you wont get lumped with a fine but as some here have posted they bought stuff off ebay from thailand and malaysia sellers and got a big empty box saying they stuff has been confiscated and have a nice day :)

I have read that too, but I don't know how the UK deals with these things. Being an island they are already quite strict about what comes in from mainland Europe.

A valid CITES certificate is issued by the authorities in the SHIPPER'S country. A buyer must rely upon the seller to acquire it.

If it, and the accompanying phytosanitary documents - also from the shipping nation's authorities - are not with the shipment, it's simply not coming in.

In the US, one needs to send the seller one of your import permits, too.

I would strongly suggest that you don't do it! Look around all of the European or British vendors to see if you can find what you're looking for. If you can't find it just wait a few months and they may stock what you are looking for. Other than that you'll just have to stay frustrated (like me) because you can't get what you want. ;)

BTW, you could end up with a fine AND imprisonment!

I heard some of those sellers ship plants in boxes labeled as "silk" or "clothes" or other non-living objects. I don't know how different countries inspect their incoming packages at customs, but it would be best not to risk it. Not only could you end up receiving an empty box, but you could also run into trouble with the law.

I only ever ordered an orchid once from Thailand, when I didn't know better. My package didn't get inspected, but because of the long transit time, the orchid inside was dead, rotten, and moldy. Never again!