The current situation regarding Pernambuco

9 May 2026

The European Commission has published an FAQ for musicians, bow makers, instrument makers and retailers to explain the recent changes to CITES rules applicable to pernambuco (Paubrasilia echinata). This document answers key questions concerning, in particular, travelling with bows, buying and selling pernambuco bows, and the applicable regulatory requirements.

This FAQ is a living document and will be updated regularly to reflect clarifications and new information as it becomes available.

Please note: When applying for a re-export certificate, it is important to know whether the country to which the bow is being sent requires a permit for its importation. As of 7 March 2026, the following is a non-exhaustive list of countries that require an import permit for pernambuco bows:

- Australia
- Mexico
- Republic of Korea
- United Kingdom
- Singapore
- Switzerland
- European Union

👉 Download the complete FAQ to view all the information.

Since 5 March 2026, the date on which the new Annotation #10 adopted at the 20th Conference of the Parties (CoP20) to CITES in Samarkand came into force, new provisions apply to finished bows made from pernambuco (Paubrasilia echinata)

From now on:

• international trade in finished bows is subject to a CITES permit;
• non-commercial movements of finished bows are exempt from permits when they take place for the purposes of a performance, personal use, an exhibition, a loan, a competition, educational activities, an assessment or a repair, without any change of ownership or intention to sell outside the owner’s country of residence.
  
  Musicians must, however, be able to demonstrate during a customs inspection that their movement does indeed fall within these exemptions.

CoP20 also adopted several additional decisions aimed at strengthening traceability, the control of existing stocks and the harmonisation of CITES procedures applicable to musical instruments.