Instruments to have passport for travel

BANGKOK - Agence France-Presse

A certificate will be created for musical instruments made from protected species, which currently need a new permit each time they travel. AP photo

From pianos with ivory keys to violin bows crafted with tortoise shell, musical instruments made from protected species will soon be able to roam the globe more easily with their own passports.

The 178-member Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) agreed yesterday to create a system of certificates for such instruments, which currently need a new permit each time they travel.

“This is monumental because it facilitates movement of musicians, particularly orchestras. Think about all the

paperwork that is going to be saved,” said Bryan Arroyo, head of the U.S. delegation, which proposed the move. “It is a great victory,” he told AFP.

The multi-entry passports will be valid for three years for non-commercial movements.

In the case of species whose international trade is completely banned, they will only be available for instruments made before the protection took effect.

Kazuko Shiomi, president of Japan’s Nippon Music Foundation, said the move would end a major headache for international musicians who borrow its priceless Stradivarius for their performances.

“They travel extensively for concerts throughout the world very frequently with a very tight schedule,” she said.