What's Ahead for NAMM and CITES

May 16, 2024

The global Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species  (CITES) convening known as the Conference of the Parties (CoP) occurs every three years and gathers representatives from 184 countries to deliberate and set guidelines for the trade of natural resources, products and derivatives. Being at the table to express the potential impact of proposed requirements on the fair and legal trade of raw materials and musical products, as well as resource preservation and conservation, continues to be a priority for NAMM.  

There are important events this year leading up to the CoP in 2025, including a meeting of the CITES Plants Committee in July 2024 and the Standing Committee in February 2025. These events will shape the agenda and discussions at the CoP, covering topics such as the status of natural resources in various regions, Musical Instrument Certificates, Annotations and Electronic Permitting instead of paper-based permits.   

NAMM's commitment to and involvement with CITES has for decades been, and continues to be, about addressing global threats to precious natural resources while also advocating for the fair and legal trade of raw materials needed to manufacture musical instruments and associated products.  

NAMM serves as a catalyst, information resource and bridge to experts and networks where compliance problems can be understood and explained. 

NAMM provides education about meeting compliance requirements and advocates for reasonable laws and implementation rules considering the unique needs of musicians and music businesses. NAMM understands that regulations for import/export, environmental impacts, products with endangered or extinct species and consumer-facing product requirements can quickly burn up staff resources and impact the bottom line. That's why we're here: to support you and ensure your success.  

NAMM collaborates with partner and regulatory organizations to provide updated information on compliance. We recently partnered with the League of American Orchestras on a webinar featuring representatives from U.S. Fish and Wildlife on travel rules for musical instruments. Click below to view the recorded webinar, read the transcript and to view the PowerPoint presentation.

We will continue to provide updates, resources, and calls to action to align global efforts and responsibly represent the needs of global music businesses with a shared commitment to global natural resources and pressing environmental concerns.