The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement between governments that aims to ensure that the international trade in wildlife does not threaten wild populations of plants and animals. In the event of threat of decline or extinction. CITES imposes trade restrictions which every member country must abide by. The least strict are restrictions and additional documentation, and the most strict is a full trade ban.
From 2 January 2017, all species of rosewood worldwide have been put under CITES restrictions with the result than any newly manufactured musical instrument with any content of rosewood is now required to have a CITES certificate of proof of legality and sustainability of the rosewood content.
This is an absolute DISASTER for the international music industry.
The cause of this has been China. The Chinese have singly destroyed the rosewood industry by their obsessive greed and disregard for everyone and everything but themselves, in obtaining rosewood. This behaviour has brought about the need to regulate the industry to stop their raping and pillaging of the timber trade and the supply of rosewood. Criminal operations have taken advantage of China's greed and have fuelled the fire.
From this point onwards the process to export a guitar with rosewood components is simply a mess that an exporter has no choice but work their way through to be able to do business.
For the last of the custom built Gaskell guitars that I have just finished I am faced with this dilemma.
Governments being governments will put us through the hoops, use this as a cash-grab for their own coffers, and in short make it even harder to bring wonderful high quality musical instruments into the world. I have no doubt.
I am now researching how to go about sending the finished guitars to the various countries they are destined for. I will keep you posted. (This is another reason why I am wrapping up custom shop guitar building.)
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