“The treaty organization that shook the music industry with new trade regulations on rosewood took formal action to clarify and potentially ease some of the regulations,” reports Robert Benincasa in Friday’s (12/1) National Public Radio. “Rosewood is a prized ‘tonewood’ used for musical instruments from guitars to clarinets and oboes. The treaty cracked down on the material’s international movements late last year to combat worldwide depletion of rosewood trees, driven by China’s burgeoning demand for rosewood furniture…. The regulations had burdened traveling orchestras and the musical instruments industry with a confusing and complex permit system that put musicians in fear of losing beloved instruments.… The standing committee of the treaty, called the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), recommended countries around the world not require permits from orchestras crossing their borders with shipments of instruments made with the types of rosewood targeted by the new regulations…. League of American Orchestras [Vice President for Advocacy] Heather Noonan called the move a first step, but pointed out that each of the world’s governments will still have to adopt and apply the new guidelines.”
For the League’s regularly updated travel tips with instruments containing protected species, click here.
Posted December 4, 2017
