5th March 2026

The changes made to the CITES listing for Paubrasilia echinata, better known by the trade name Pernambuco, have now taken effect. This update contains advice from the Australian Government about permits and the implementation of the new rules.

Recap: What happened at CoP20?

At the CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP20) in late 2025, a proposal from Brazil was considered, discussed at length in a working group, and an alternative proposal was developed and passed. The original proposal was for an Appendix I listing which would have been the strictest form of restraint on trade and movement of products containing this species. There are many elements to the final proposal including intersessional work and ongoing initiatives for government agencies and the industry, but the changes that most directly relate to industry and players are:

• A broad exemption from permit requirements for movement across borders for reasons other than trade, ie. musicians travelling with bows for most reasons (personal travel, performance, competition, education, repair, etc);
• Stricter permit requirements for trade. International trade is permitted for bows containing pre-CITES Paubrasilia echinata, with a pre-CITES certificate and relevant export/re-export/import permits as required.

The details of the CoP20 decision were covered by the AMA at the time and this information remains current. There will be intersessional work over the next three years including efforts to improve traceability and register stockpiles of wood, but there will be no changes to the species listing until CoP21, due to be held in 2028.

The text of the new Annotation 10, the source document, and an analysis of its meaning can be found here.

Update: Advice from the Australian Government

If musicians are travelling for personal reasons listed in the notification and not for commercial purposes, you do not need to obtain CITES permits under the agreed exception.

For entities who are planning to sell or gift their musical instrument, parts, or accessories. This is considered a commercial transaction and CITES permits are required to be issued before the international shipment of the instrument, parts, or accessories.

To apply for an Australian permit or pre-convention certificate click on ‘apply for a permit’ at http://onlineservices.environment.gov.au.

If you are a first-time applicant, you will need to register an account. I have attached a link below on the steps you need to take to do this: https://onlineservices.environment.gov.au/help/articles/how-register-online-services.

Please be aware it may take up to 40 business days (8 weeks) for the permit application to be processed. The CITES Management Authority will endeavour to process applications as quickly as possible in the order they are received.

The current cost for a Single Use (one way only) CITES permit is $78.00. The price is current until 30/6/2026.

There is no charge for the issuing of a pre-convention certificate.

We require documentation (Tax Invoices, Letters of Supply, required licences or permits) proving legal supply back to source with these applications. All information is kept in strict confidence and will not be shared out with anyone else outside the department without the applicant’s permission.

Staff at the Australian CITES Management Authority are happy to discuss what is required in the process of obtaining the required permits. You can contact them via email wps@dcceew.gov.au or telephone 1800 075 065 (option 1) within Australia or +61 (02 5156 5063 (option 1) if calling us from outside of Australia.

Under both Australian and overseas legislation, an Australian CITES permit or pre-convention certificate must be in place prior to the consignment departing Australia.

It is not possible to issue retrospective certificates/permits for items that have already been exported out of the country.

It is your responsibility to ensure you meet all relevant import laws in the country where you are travelling. You will need to check with both customs and the CITES Management Authority in the country that you are shipping the items to, to see what is required including possibly other permits including CITES Import permits. This link (National CITES Authorities | CITES) is for contact details of CITES Management Authorities worldwide.