Ivory and Rosewood Updates

At the beginning of October, the British government launched a 12-week consultation on ivory ban proposals with suggested exemptions for musical instruments among other categories. The 12-week consultation, which closes on 29 December 2017, invites responses from interested parties, including on the topic of ivory used in musical instruments. Although it applies only to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it does accept responses from ’organisations and people based outside of the UK.’

With the closing date coming up soon, BBICO have caught up with how things have been unfolding in Parliament.

Ivory

Our coalition fighting to exclude musical instruments from the ivory ban went to the Houses of Parliament three weeks ago.

Pictured are Paul Mc, David Webster of the MU and David Cowdrey of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

The meeting was with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Endangered Species, chaired by Rachel Maclean M.P.

Representatives were also there from Philip Brown violins, the antique trade, DEFRA, auction houses and all the major animal welfare bodies (WWF, IFAW etc).

The good news is that all the animal welfare groups are supporting the proposed exemption for musical instruments.

David from MU gave a great speech about the importance of the exemption to musicians and Paul Mc gave a talk about the importance of the exemption to music shops and the wider industry.

If any of you would like to see Paul Mc’s speech, please contact paulmc@mia.org.uk

There is another government meeting taking place on December 14th that we will attend.

Don’t forget…..

We need you to respond to the government consultation in support of the musical instrument exemption before the closing date at end of December. See link below

https://consult.defra.gov.uk/international/banning-uk-sales-of-ivory/

Rosewood

The recent CITES User Group meeting in Brussels saw an impassioned plea from the global musical instrument industry for a more measured and pragmatic way to manage the control of rosewood in relation to instruments.

A subsequent meeting in Geneva will keep the debate going.

Here in the UK, DEFRA have asked us for a fresh debate on the matter on December 18th.

This meeting will have representatives from small and large companies, the MIA and auction houses and we will naturally keep you updated with the news.

 

From Music Industries Association Magazine (MIA)

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