Article 8
1. Import permits, export permits and re-export certificates shall, taking account of Article 5 (3), be applied for in sufficient time to allow their issue prior to the introduction of specimens into or their export or re-export from the Community.
Specimens shall not be authorized to be assigned to a customs procedure until after the presentation of the requisite documents.
2. In the case of introduction of specimens into the Community, the requisite documents from third countries shall only be considered valid where they have been issued and used for export or re-export from that country prior to their last day of validity and are used for introduction into the Community no later than six months from their date of issue.
3. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, first subparagraph and paragraph 2 and provided the importer/(re-)exporter informs the competent Management Authority on arrival/before departure of a shipment of the reasons why the required documents are not available, documents for specimens of species listed in Annex B or C to Regulation (EC) No 338/97, as well as for specimens of species listed in Annex A to that Regulation and referred to in Article 4 (5) thereof, may exceptionally be issued retrospectively where the competent management authority of the Member State, where appropriate in consultation with the competent authorities of a third country, is satisfied that:
(a) any irregularities which have occurred are not attributable to the (re)exporter and/or the importer, and
(b) that the (re-)export/import of the specimens concerned is otherwise in compliance with the provisions of:
(i) Regulation (EC) No 338/97,
(ii) the Convention, and
(iii) the relevant legislation of a third country.
4. Export permits and re-export certificates issued pursuant to paragraph 3 shall clearly indicate that they have been issued retrospectively and the reasons for such issue. In the case of Community import permits, export permits and re-export certificates, this indication shall be included in box 23.
5. With the exception of paragraph 3 (b) (i), the provisions of paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 shall, in accordance with Article 7 (2) (c) of Regulation (EC) No 338/97, apply mutatis mutandis to specimens of species listed in Annexes A and B to that Regulation which are in transit through the Community.

Section 2 Import permits

Article 9
1. The applicant must, where appropriate, complete boxes 1, 3 to 6 and 8 to 23 of the application form and boxes 1, 3, 4, 5 and 8 to 22 of the original and all copies. Member States may, however, provide that only an application form is to be completed, in which case such an application may relate to more than one shipment.
2. The duly completed form(s) must be submitted to the management authority of the Member State of destination and shall contain the information and be accompanied by the documentary evidence that that authority deems necessary in order to allow it to determine whether, on the basis of Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 338/97, a permit should be issued. The omission of information from the application must be justified. When an application is made for a permit relating to specimens for which such an application has previously been rejected, the applicant must inform the management authority of such a previous rejection.

Article 10
1. In the case of an import permit issued for specimens of species included in Appendix I to the Convention and listed in Annex A to Regulation (EC) No 338/97, the 'copy for the exporting or re-exporting country` may be returned to the applicant for submission to the management authority of the country of export or re-export. The original shall, in accordance with Article 4 (1) (b) (ii) of Regulation (EC) No 338/97, be withheld pending presentation of the corresponding export permit or re-export certificate.
2. Where the 'copy for the exporting or re-exporting country` is not returned to the applicant, the latter shall be given a written statement that an import permit will be issued and on what conditions.

Article 11
Without prejudice to Article 23, the importer or his authorized representative shall surrender the original (form 1), the 'copy for the holder` (form 2) and, where this is specified in the import permit, any documentation from the country of export or re-export to the border customs office at the point of introduction into the Community, designated in accordance with Article 12 (1) of Regulation (EC) No 338/97. Where appropriate, he shall indicate the number of the bill of lading or air way-bill in box 26.

Article 12
The customs office referred to in Article 11, or, where applicable, Article 23 (1), shall, after completing box 27 of the original (form 1) and the 'copy for the holder` (form 2), return the latter to the importer or to his authorized representative. The original (form 1) and any documentation from the country of export or re-export shall be forwarded as specified in Article 19.

Section 3 Import notifications

Article 13
The importer or his authorized representative must, where appropriate, complete boxes 1 to 11 of the original (form 1) and the 'copy for the importer` (form 2) of the import notification and, without prejudice to Article 23, surrender them together with the documentation from the country of export or re-export, if any, to the border customs office at the point of introduction into the Community designated in accordance with Article 12 (1) of Regulation (EC) No 338/97.

Article 14
The customs office referred to in Article 13, or, where applicable, Article 23 (1), shall, after completing box 12 of the original (form 1) and the 'copy for the importer` (form 2), return the latter to the importer or to his authorized representative. The original (form 1) and any documentation from the country of export or re-export shall be forwarded as specified in Article 19.

Section 4 Export permits and re-export certificates

Article 15
1. The applicant must, where appropriate, complete boxes 1, 3, 4, 5 and 8 to 23 of the application form and boxes 1, 3, 4 and 5 and 8 to 22 of the original and all copies. Member States may, however, provide that only an application form is to be completed, in which case such an application may relate to more than one shipment.
2. The duly completed form(s) must be submitted to the management authority of the Member State in whose territory the specimens are located and shall contain the information and be accompanied by the documentary evidence that that authority deems necessary to allow it to determine whether, on the basis of Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 338/97, a permit/certificate should be issued. The omission of information from the application must be justified. When an application is made for a permit or certificate relating to specimens for which such an application has previously been rejected, the applicant must inform the management authority of such a previous rejection.
3. Where in support of an application for a re-export certificate a 'copy for the holder` of an import permit, a 'copy for the importer` of an import notification, or a certificate issued on the basis thereof, is presented, such documents shall only be returned to the applicant after amendment of the number of specimens for which the document remains valid. Such a document shall not be returned to the applicant if the re-export certificate is granted for the total number of specimens for which it is valid, or where it is replaced in accordance with Article 21. The management authority shall establish the validity of any supporting documents, where necessary in consultation with a management authority of another Member State.
The provisions of the first subparagraph shall also apply where a certificate is presented in support of an application for an export permit.
Where, under the supervision of a management authority of a Member State, specimens have been individually marked so as to allow an easy reference to the documents referred to in the first and second subparagraphs, the latter shall not be required to be physically presented together with the application, provided that their number is included in the application.
In the absence of the supporting evidence referred to in the first, second and third subparagraphs, the management authority shall establish the legal introduction into or acquisition in the Community of the specimens to be (re-)exported, where necessary in consultation with a management authority of another Member State.
4. Where, for the purposes of paragraph 3, a management authority consults a management authority of another Member State, the latter shall respond within a period of one week.

Article 16
The (re-)exporter or his authorized representative shall surrender the original (form 1), the 'copy for the holder` (form 2) and the 'copy for return to the issuing authority` (form 3) to a customs office designated in accordance with Article 12 (1) of Regulation (EC) No 338/97. Where appropriate, he shall indicate the number of the bill of lading or air way-bill in box 26.

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