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INFORMATION FOR MUSICIANS

Travelling with a musical instrument can become complicated when crossing international borders.

If your instrument contains material protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), careful preparation is required. The guide produced by FIM and PEARLE aims to provide musicians, ensembles, bands and orchestras with practical information on the regulations in force and on obtaining CITES certificates, such as the Musical Instrument Certificate (MIC), before setting off on tour or for other professional reasons.

Download the guide by clicking on the image above, or fill in the form according to your profile and request by clicking on the button opposite.

Is a CITES certificate required to travel with a musical instrument?

The simple answer is "sometimes, yes". To avoid any problems, it is advisable to prepare well for any trip involving the crossing of borders with a musical instrument. As the rules of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) become stricter, and the number of protected species increases, you may need a CITES certificate. And if it's not the case today, it may be tomorrow.

Visit fIM and PEARLE* associations you offer you a short questionnaire to help you :

check, depending on your destination, whether the materials in your instrument require a CITES certificate (CIM* or CEI*);
identify the steps to be taken before your departure.

ACCESS THE FORM

Musical Instrument Certificate (CIM)

CIM (Musical Instrument Certificate)

Valid for three years and multi-purpose, this CITES certificate is dedicated to travel with musical instruments. It replaces the traditional CITES import and export documents.

The CIM must be stamped at each border crossing by a duly accredited CITES inspector (an ordinary customs employee does not necessarily have the authority to validate the certificate).

CEI (Certificate for Traveling Exhibitions)

Initially reserved for museums, it has been available to orchestras since the 16th CoP (2013). All instruments transported together can now be registered on the same CEI (instead of one CIM per instrument).

As its use is not harmonized within the European Union, please ensure that the CITES authority in the country of departure issues this certificate.

N.B.: The UK does not issue CIMs to bands, orchestras or ensembles. British musicians traveling as a group must therefore apply for a CIM individually before departure.

Differences between CIM and IEC

The CIM is issued for a single instrument. It lists all the protected species present on the instrument. The application for a CIM can be made by the owner or holder of the instrument, or by the ensemble or orchestra with which the musician is traveling. An instrument registered on a CIM can be carried in the hold or as hand luggage.

The CEI is suitable for musical ensembles and orchestras. A single IEC is sufficient for all instruments traveling with the same ensemble. Its cost can be lower than the cumulative cost of all individual IRCs, but the instruments listed on the IRC cannot be separated and must be placed together in the hold. It is forbidden to isolate an instrument listed on the IRC to transport it as hand luggage, or to leave the group to continue the journey alone with this instrument.

Both the CIM and the CEI can be used several times, and are valid for three years.

MULTIPLE INSTRUMENTS if you're traveling alone and carrying more than one instrument at a time, you can apply for a CIM for each instrument, or, if you own all the instruments you're carrying, a Certificat pour Exposition Itinérante (CEI). An IEC can be useful if you're traveling with a large number of instruments. However, a CIM for each instrument is preferable if the instruments concerned are not all being transported together on the same trip.