Business Compliance

NAMM advocates on behalf of its members on regulatory and compliance issues that impact the music products and events industries. NAMM also educates on issues that affect profitability, including sustainability, taxation and employment.

Lacey Act Phase VII Declaration Schedule Updates: Part I

May 30, 2024 NAMM hosted a webinar featuring Erin Otto, National Policy Manager at USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Karen Williams, Compliance Specialist for La...
collage with FTC and noncompete contract

FTC Issues Final Rule to Ban Noncompetes

May 15, 2024 On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted to issue a final rule that imposes a nationwide ban on all employers from using noncompete clauses in contracts wi...
several wooden instruments

NAMM Prepares for Updates to Lacey Act and CITES Regulations

April 19, 2024 NAMM Policy Program Manager Claire Kreger-Boaz attended the World of Wood Convention in San Diego, CA, April 9–12, 2024, on a mission to gather the latest information on Ph...
wavy blue lines

China Issues Mandatory Musical Instrument Standard

March 26, 2024 China's recent implementation of a new mandatory national standard for musical instruments, GB28489-2022, effective January 1, 2024, has significant implications not only w...
White Collar Workers

New Independent Contractor Rule in Effect

The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) new worker classification rule went into effect as of March 11, 2024.  This rule rescinds the 2021 independent contractor rule (ICR) put in place by t...
woman in office setting orange sweater

U.S. Department of Labor Issues Final Independent Contractor Rule

On January 10, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued the final independent contractor rule, which provides guidance to assess how workers should be classified under the Fair Lab...
wood lute with ivory

New Canada Rules on Ivory Import/Export

The Canadian government has enacted amendments to its wildlife protection regulations to require that all persons entering or leaving Canada with musical instruments or other products con...
typing

Beneficial Ownership Disclosure Obligations Begin January 1, 2024

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) requires that certain regulated entities, such as corporations or Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), file personal identifying information concerning...
blue shiny credit card

Senate Expected to Consider Proposed Credit Card Competition Act

Legislation to expand retailers’ credit card options is expected to be taken up by the full U.S. Senate when they return from recess the week of Oct. 16., at which time they are expected ...
Impacting Actions

Actions Impacting Protected Wood Exports and Imports 

On January 31, 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service informed U.S. importers and exporters of tropical hardwood timber species of actions taken at the 19th meeting of the Conference of...
CITES Takeaways

Takeaways from the 2022 CITES Conference of the Parties

Following two weeks of discussion, delegates at the CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP19) reached several decisions which impact the music industry: Appendix II protections for Pernamb...
CITES COP 19

NAMM Members Represented at the CoP 19 CITES Gathering

The nineteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP 19) convened Nov 14 – 25, 2022 in Panama City, Panama with NAMM member interests represented by Senior Policy Advisor Mary Lue...