Wood for bows exempted from restrictions

Musicians' unions have welcomed the news that the bows used to play stringed instruments, predominantly made from pernambuco wood, will not be subject to crippling new restrictions from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The Musicians’ Union, the Independent Society of Musicians, the Association of British Orchestras and UK Music worked with the government on a campaign to exempt bows made from the wood from proposed new restrictions that would have subjected travelling musicians to complex paperwork. The move would have also decimated the bow-making trade and hampered sales of antique bows. 

Pernambuco wood, which only grows in Brazil, has been subject to some CITES restrictions since 2007 but at the 19th CITES Conference of the Parties, held in Panama, a proposal to heavily tighten restrictions on using the wood was replaced with a requirement that all pernambuco products, including finished bows, are presented with a CITES permit the first time they leave Brazil.

Dave Webster, Head of International for the Musicians’ Union, described the decision as “a significant victory for musicians' right across the globe”. 

“This outcome provides real peace of mind for our members and all musicians with pernambuco bows,” he said.

The new restrictions “will balance Brazilian concerns for the protection of its national tree while avoiding new and unnecessary red tape for musicians and instrument manufacturers across the UK”, said Tom Kiehl, Deputy CEO of UK Music.

“We will continue to monitor the implementation and compliance to ensure the new policy works as intended,” he added.