The development of specific guidelines on particular MEAs to assist law enforcement officers to conduct operations, investigations and inspections, and procedures for reporting and processing information nationally and internationally can enhance enforcement efforts. MEAs for which international guidelines have been prepared to assist with their smooth and effective implementation include CITES and the g[Basel Convention]. In the case of the latter, there are no fewer than twelve different sets of Guidelines.
International guidelines can serve as templates for national efforts, but there is still a need to adapt the international guidelines to the particular national conditions and capacity. Some States have done this by using the international guidelines as an informative tool for developing legislation and policy; other States have first developed national guidelines based on the international guidelines.