CITES Considers Relaxing Strict Rosewood Regulations

March 23, 2018.

Language accompanying the bipartisan FY18 spending bill encourages the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to continue to work with stakeholders "to address their concerns related to international trade in wood and wood products" with a reference to recent new rosewood rules under the Convention on International Trade in Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES). The report also encourages the agency to develop a domestic electronic permitting system to expedite processing of legal imports and exports. These policy changes could help ease difficulties musicians encounter when traveling with musical instruments.