In fact, if you're thinking of taking your violin out of the country, it's highly likely that you'll need a CITES certificate for violins. Beyond that, if the instrument is composed of species or essences protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), you'll need to be highly organized for your trip. In this article, I'm going to focus on the administrative side of things, which we're all so passionate about: what papers you need to bring with you to avoid any problems.
CITES certificate for violins
Here I'll explain all the steps you'll need to take to comply if you're planning to travel with your violin(and violas and cellos) and, of course, your bow.
Although in the past, instruments could travel as easily as their bearers(visa and other authorizations), it's been ten years or so since controls were tightened. The rules have been progressively tightened by international action and cooperation within the framework of CITES. The aim is to preserve the growing number of endangered species of flora and fauna. These rules mainly affect the marketing and export of these raw materials, with the aim of reducing or halting their exploitation. In concrete terms, the application of these rules imposes quotas or makes the use of these materials illegal. Of course, this also puts all current owners, including musicians(and luthiers), who use them in their craft, in a rather delicate position.
In our case, CITES certificates for musical instruments will enable musicians to justify :
- Firstly, that their instruments do not contain illegal materials.
- Or that these materials don't pose a problem: because they were processed before the rules came into force.
The risks
Some countries have very strict border regulations, which can even result in instruments being confiscated by customs. That's why it's important to have the right documents to avoid any problems. These documents, issued by each country, take the form of Musical Instrument Certificates, also known as MICs.
What is a CIM?
Since 2013, the CITES organization has encouraged various countries to provide Musical Instrument Certificates. Valid for three years, it allows you to cross borders unhindered with your musical equipment, but only for non-commercial purposes.
Some examples of non-commercial use:
- Private use for training or leisure
- Concerts and other performances(with or without remuneration).
- Teaching, masterclasses and courses
- Recordings
- Competitions
- Audio-visual broadcasting
In fact, even if your instrument is used for commercial purposes (as a professional tool), this is not a problem. However, these permits are not valid for the sale of this instrument.
For orchestras or other large musical ensembles, it is possible to use a Certificat pour Exposition Itinérante (CEI). This was originally a document that allowed entire collections to travel, for museums and the like. However, it has since been extended to musical activities involving large numbers of instruments. One of the aims of this solution is to reduce the difficulty and cost of individual procedures.
How to obtain a CITES certificate for violins and bows?
First of all, you'll need to obtain proof of the materials present on your instruments:
- Initially, this information may be written on the invoice. This is not yet the norm, but will become so in the future. Otherwise, contact the seller or manufacturer to obtain a certificate of the components used.
- Next, you can visit a luthier to draw up a list of materials and all the species present on your instruments.
If you're buying an instrument and intend to travel, try to get as much proof as possible when you buy it. This will save time and money later on.
Production of a CITES certificate for violins and bows at the workshop
If you need a certificate to prepare for your trip, I'll be able to help. However, this is not a process that can be carried out remotely. I'll need to have the instrument in my hands to be able to make my observations in the best possible conditions.
To obtain a document with photos and a list of materials, please contact me directly to make an appointment.
Apart from certain more delicate cases, the certificate will take a day to complete.
