Association of British Orchestras

ABO and music sector welcome CoP19 decision on pernambuco wood

The ABO, Independent Society of Musicians, Musicians’ Union and UK Music have welcomed a decision not to place crippling new CITES restrictions on pernambuco bows for musical instruments.

The ABO, ISM, MU and UK Music worked closely with the DEFRA and APHA government departments to ensure that bows are exempt from new restrictions.

Brazil’s original proposal, brought at the 19th CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP19) in Panama, was to move pernambuco from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I. This would have required almost all string players to apply for a Musical Instrument Certificate in order to travel internationally with their bows. It would also have decimated the bow making trade and hampered sales of antique bows.

Annual Conference

The next ABO conference will take place in Gateshead,
hosted by The Glasshouse ICM, from 5-7 February 2025.