Press Release CITES CoP20 n°9
2007. CoP14, The Hague, Netherlands. Brazilwood is listed in Appendix II. International trade in wood and its by-products is subject to approval by Brazil, the only range country. Bows and other finished products remain in free trade.
2022. CoP19, Panama City, Panama. Bows produced in Brazil are subject to an export permit.
2025. CoP20, Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Brazilwood and its by-products remain in Appendix II with a zero quota for specimens taken from the wild. This annotation is equivalent to a ban on international trade, as no Brazilwood plantations are approved by Ibama (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources).
© Natália Alana. Pau-brasil: o tesouro nacional cobiçado pela indústria da música clássica
From now on, the international trade in bows, regardless of their country of production, is subject to an export permit, provided that the wood comes from Brazilwood felled before 2007 and that the bow maker can prove this with a legal document.
The 185 signatory countries to CITES must also promote awareness of the current extinction risk of Paubrasilia echinata and its connection with the string-cord music instrument production.
Bargaining and friendly pressure (“My dear Lula, you’re not going to do this to me”) robbed South American and African countries, enlightened bowmakers and musicians, Robin des Bois and South American NGOs of a clear and decisive victory. The international community was ready to come to the rescue of Brazilwood or pau-brasil, the iconic tree that had been targeted by conquistadors since the 17th century, who fought over it to extract its red sap and its supposedly exceptional sound. This obvious process was bogged down by the European Union, which proposed a working group, a classic manoeuvre authorised by CITES. This working group produced a convoluted score. The Appendix I seal was avoided. However, without its clarity and durability, this decision to maintain the emblematic tree in Appendix II with a zero quota is similar to listing it in Appendix I.
States are also “urgently requested” to improve and harmonise the traceability of bows and to provide information on national stocks of sticks and wood. A less urgent request had already been made in 2022, but it had gone unheeded.
If these new measures designed to combat institutionalised fraud in the Brazilwood and bow market are not seriously enforced, a new proposal to list Brazilwood in Appendix I of CITES will be submitted in three years’ time.
For its part, Robin des Bois will continue to put pressure on the violin industry, manufacturers and sellers of picks, pens and dye powder derived from the exploitation of Brazilwood until CoP21
See all Robin des Bois publications on CITES CoP20 in Uzbekistan
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