Among the regulations impacting the instrument-making professions, CITES or the Washington Convention, created in 1973, has controlled international trade in endangered species of fauna and flora, and therefore in wood, since 1975. 184 countries (or parties) have signed this convention.

CITES controls and regulates international trade in specimens of species listed in its three appendices.

Any import, export, re-export (export of an imported specimen) or introduction from the sea of species covered by the Convention must be authorized under a permit system.

Among these species, species used in the manufacture of the quartet's musical instruments, such as Pernambuco (Paubrasilia echinata), Palissandres (Dalbergia), certain ebony (Diospyros), ivory, etc., are subject to increasing human exploitation. Trade in specimens of these species is controlled by CITES through a system of permits that must be obtained.

→ The CITES Conference of the Parties - Cop
→ Who is affected by CITES regulations?
→ How do you know if a species is regulated by CITES?
→ What is a CITES specimen?
→ How to interpret a CITES listing - APPENDICES
→ From what date does the listing of a species under CITES apply - Notion of PRE-CONVENTION
→ How to interpret the listing of a species under CITES - THE ANNOTATIONS
→ Special case of the European Union
→ List of CITES permits
→ List of CITES species used in the manufacture of musical instruments
→ Voluntary stock declarations
→ The international coalition of the musical instrument industry and musicians
→ The situation of musical instruments and CITES