The Council Regulation (EC) N. 338/97 of 9 December 1996 is the numerously amended Community law through which the rules of the Washington Convention of 1975 on the International Trade in endangered Species of wild fauna and flora, better known as "CITES" , have been transposed - starting from 1th January 1984 - within the Community legal system (see our article). It lists the animal and vegetable species whose commerce is subject in the EU to particular restrictions or controls. Such specimen are indicated in a special Annex to the aforementioned Regulation. Starting from 22 May 2009, said Annex is replaced by the relevant Annex to the Commission Regulation (EC) N. 407/2009 of 14 May 2009.

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With Notice Prot. 66938 of 12 May 2009, the Italian Customs Agency specifies that due to the modifications applied by the European Commission to the AEO Community System, the economic operators presenting a demand for the granting of an AEO Certificate (see the Annex 1 to Reg. 1875/2006), must indicate in the box n. 12 ("Economic sector of Activity") the code of the activity corresponding to the economic activity carried out by them. Such codes are listed in an Annex to the Notice.

Where the applicant carries out more than an activity falling within the above codes, he can indicate in the demand more codes.

Starting from 12 May 2009, therefore, the customs Agency will reject demands of request of the AEO certificate without the indication of the above codes.