Business Compliance

February 20, 2026 President Trump Announces New Tariffs After Supreme Court Ruling President Trump announced he would immediately impose a 15% global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to address trade deficits. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated the administration would also expand use of Section 232 (national security) and Section 301 (unfair trade practices) authorities.   These authorities come with constraints the administration did not face under IEEPA. For example, Section 122 tariffs are capped at 15% for 150 days unless Congress approves an extension.

November 12, 2025 NAMM and our collaborators at the League of American Orchestras facilitated unprecedented international collaboration since the last meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) between musicians, instrument makers, orchestras and music industry associations spanning North America, Europe, South America, Asia and Australia. The music sector is aligned in its stance that sustainable businesses practices for Brazilian Paubrasilia echinata, or pernambuco wood, is necessary to protect the species, allow musicians to travel internationally with their instruments and

May 28, 2025 The European Commission has unveiled its new country risk classification under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), categorizing nations as low, standard or high risk based on their deforestation levels. This classification determines the level of due diligence required from companies importing such commodities as wood, cocoa, coffee, soy, palm oil and beef into the EU. EUDR is a law passed by the European Union to prevent products linked to deforestation and forest degradation from entering the EU market. It requires companies to ensure that certain commodities —

May 15, 2025  Driven by a shared belief in the transformative power of music education, NAMM members gathered in Washington, D.C., this spring to raise their voices in unity for the next generation of music makers. From May 5–8, a coalition of more than 90 NAMM members and partners representing all 50 U.S. states, congregated in our nation’s capital as part of NAMM’s 19th Advocacy D.C. Fly-In. Their goal was to meet face-to-face with their members of Congress and/or their staff and make the request to support federal funding for music education. Without funding, students across th

April 15, 2025 On March 31, 2025, NAMM filed comments to the Federal Register in response to the March 1 Executive Order tasking the Secretary of Commerce to investigate whether there is a connection between importing timber and lumber and threats to national security.  Under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, President Trump gave the Department of Commerce 270 days from the March 1 order to provide a determination on whether importing timber and lumber threatens national security, and, if so, to provide recommendations for mitigating the threat through tariffs or oth

February 12, 2025 NAMM continues to support member companies globally by investing in the critical work of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Whether you manufacture or sell affected products, NAMM is working to support you to ensure the products we depend on can continue to be manufactured, sold and used within the CITES regulations. NAMM was represented at the CITES Standing Committee meeting, a key gathering in Geneva, Switzerland, in preparation for the Conference of the Parties (CoP), which is scheduled in November 202

January 8, 2025 The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) have reached a tentative agreement for a six-year deal as of this writing. The agreement eases tensions about a potential strike that would have affected ports along the East and Gulf Coasts and disrupted supply chains significantly. In the fall, NAMM urged member companies exhibiting at The 2025 NAMM Show to schedule deliveries to Anaheim, CA, before January 15, when the temporary agreement between the ILA and the USMX was set to expire, with long-time partner Freeman

December 13, 2024 Hosted by NAMM President and CEO John Mlynczak on December 11, 2024, and featuring NAMM Policy Program Manager Claire Kreger-Boaz and experts from the law firm Nelson Mullins, this timely webinar covers critical topics that affect our members, including the historical and potential future impact of tariffs on the music products industry, particularly the 301 tariffs affecting imported goods from China.  The session also provided insights into the legislative processes governing tariffs and the roles of the President and Congress, as well as the implications of po

Since September 13, 2007, the Pernambuco wood used in bows has been included under CITES Appendix II, with rules that require any wood material exported from Brazil (up to the unfinished “bow blank” stage) to be legally and sustainably harvested and accompanied by CITES permits when traded internationally. However, until February 23, 2023, finished bows were not subject to CITES requirements or controls and could travel without CITES permits. As of February 23, 2023, CITES permits are required for all Pernambuco wood the first time it leaves Brazil – including finished bows as the

December 5, 2024 The European Parliament has pushed back compliance deadlines by one year and amended its provisions to the European Union's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). This initiative is designed to combat global deforestation linked to imports by EU nations.   The EUDR was to go into effect on December 30, 2024, for medium and large companies, with an extended compliance period for small companies. However, with the backing of the Council of the European Union, the European Commission proposed this delay to establish a 12-month adjustment period that would encourage smoothe

November 8, 2024 The European Union (EU) has implemented the General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR), which aim to enhance consumer safety by establishing comprehensive requirements for all consumer products. This new regulation builds upon the previous General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) and expands compliance mandates for all stakeholders in the retail chain, from manufacturers to retailers, including the music products industry. The deadline for compliance is December 13, 2024, making it essential for companies within the sector to understand and adhere to these regulatio

November 1, 2024 On October 16, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced its final “click-to-cancel” rule.  According to the FTC, the purpose of the rule is to require sellers to make it as easy for consumers to cancel their enrollment as it was to sign up.   Members that offer enrollment in music lessons or other types of subscription services should prepare a simplified method for customers to cancel their services. The Final Rule, officially known as the “Rule Concerning Recurring Subscriptions and Other Negative Option Programs,“ will broadly apply to businesses with