The Ivory Prohibitions (Exemptions) (Process and Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These regulations amend the Ivory Prohibitions (Exemptions) (Process and Procedure) Regulations 2022 to add three national museums—in Merseyside, Northern Ireland, and Wales—to the list of institutions authorized to advise the Secretary of State on applications for exemption certificates under the Ivory Act 2018.
The amendment aims to improve the expertise and geographic reach of advice provided.
Arguments For
Improved Expertise and Geographic Coverage: Adding National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland, and the National Museum of Wales expands the pool of experts available to advise on exemption applications, ensuring wider geographic representation and potentially more informed decisions.
Enhanced Efficiency and Transparency: The inclusion of these institutions could streamline the application process by distributing the workload and expertise, leading to quicker decisions and potentially increasing transparency.
Legal Compliance with Ivory Act 2018: These amendments fulfill the requirements of the Ivory Act 2018 by designating institutions with the necessary expertise to advise the Secretary of State on exemption applications, ensuring the effective implementation of the Act.
Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: This amendment fosters collaboration between the government and these institutions, promoting knowledge sharing related to ivory and its regulation.
Arguments Against
Potential for Increased Workload: Adding more institutions might initially increase administrative burdens for the Secretary of State, requiring more coordination and oversight.
Inconsistency in Advice: There's a potential risk of receiving inconsistent advice from different institutions, requiring extra processes to reconcile different opinions.
Resource Implications: While not explicitly stated, the three new institutions may face increased resource demands in their new advisory role, potentially requiring additional staff training or technology.
Unforeseen Consequences: The amendment's long-term effects are uncertain, and unforeseen consequences, positive or negative, could emerge.
- Citation, commencement and extent (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Ivory Prohibitions (Exemptions) (Process and Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2025. (2) These Regulations come into force on 15th May 2025. (3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
This section details the title, effective date, and geographic scope of the regulations.
The regulations are officially titled the 'Ivory Prohibitions (Exemptions) (Process and Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2025'.
They take effect on May 15, 2025, and apply across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
- Amendment to the Ivory Prohibitions (Exemptions) (Process and Procedure) Regulations 2022 (1) The Ivory Prohibitions (Exemptions) (Process and Procedure) Regulations 2022 are amended as follows. (2) In the Schedule (prescribed institutions), in paragraph 1, after sub-paragraph (i), insert— “; (j) National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside; (k) National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland; (l) National Museum of Wales”.
This section amends the 2022 Ivory Prohibitions Regulations.
Specifically, it adds three institutions—National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland, and the National Museum of Wales—to the list of institutions authorized to provide advice on exemption certificate applications.