The CoP is formed by the member states to CITES and is the supreme decision-making body of the convention. It meets every two to three years to review the implementation of CITES. These meetings provide the occasion of the Parties to:

• review the conservation status of the species included in the Appendices and its progress;
• consider proposals to change the species lists in Appendices I and II;
• consider discussion documents and reports from the Parties, the permanent committees, the Secretariat and working groups;
• recommend measures for effectiveness improvement of the Convention and
• make provisions necessary to allow the Secretariat to function effectively.

Meetings of the CoP are also attended by observers such as representatives of States that are not party to CITES, of United Nations agencies and of other international discretion of the Parties. The observers have no vote.