Inform, regulate, empower: An empirical and legal analysis of the online trade of protected species in Switzerland[Informer, encadrer, responsabiliser : analyse empirique et juridique du commerce en ligne suisse d'espèces protégées]

This communication describes the online trade in protected species in Switzerland based on two empirical studies drawing on digital trace data collected from peer-to-peer online marketplaces. The first study analyses 543 advertisements relating to commonly traded reptiles, while the second, conducted more than two years after the entry into force of new legal provisions, focuses on 56 advertisements concerning rarer species of reptiles and amphibians. None of the advertisements fully complies with the four legal requirements governing online trade, namely the provision of contact details, the scientific name of the species, the origin of the specimen, and the applicable CITES appendix. The analysis of content moderation mechanisms and regulatory frameworks shows that compliance largely relies on users and on ex post enforcement mechanisms. These findings highlight the limitations of the current legal framework and underscore the importance of an integrated approach combining awareness-raising, platform accountability, and cooperation among stakeholders to improve regulatory effectiveness and reduce the illegal trade in protected species.