While sales of endangered species have been banned throughout the world, it seems to have taken eBay a while to catch up. Today, eBay announced a ban on all ivory sales; something that has been illegal in the E.U. for years.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare released a report yesterday, accusing the Internet auction house of contributing to the trade in endangered wildlife products. However, just hours before the release of the report by the IFAW, eBay said that it would institute a global ban on the sale of elephant ivory products by January 1, 2009.

According to eBay's in-house blogger, Richard Brewer-Hay, the move followed consultations with the IFAW, the World Wildlife Fund, Humane Society of the United States and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Last year ebay banned cross-border sales of ivory, which made it still possible between countries.

Jack Christin, an eBay lawyer, added that the auction house "will allow some antique (pre-1900) items that contain a small amount of ivory, such as a table with a small ivory inlay or an antique piano with ivory keys.

However  items which contain a significant amount of ivory, regardless of the age, such as chess sets, ivory broaches and ivory jewelry are not permitted under the new policy.