Traceability of bows and demonstrating the unique identity of an existing bow can be difficult, as most bows do not have an identifying mark from the maker.
Detailed photographs of the bow in this case may suffice, however, going forward CITES Parties are being urged to develop a harmonised approach to enhance traceability of Pernambuco bows, bow blanks and wood stockpiles.
This will include looking at possible options for marking newly made bows made from pre-Convention wood and pre-Convention bows. so that they are uniquely marked and can be traced when moved commercially across borders.
From 5 March 2026:
- Travel for non-commercial purposes remains permitfree.
- International commercial trade becomes much more restricted.
- Only bows made from pre2007 wood, with evidence of provenance, can be commercially traded across borders and require CITES permits.
- Pernambuco bows made from wood harvested post-2007 cannot be commercially traded internationally.
- CITES permit processing will require evidence of legal, pre2007 origin.
Current rules apply so no CITES permits are required for international trade in Pernambuco bows before 5 March 2026.
However, evidence may be required to demonstrate the item was imported prior to 5 March 2026 for any future commercial trade.
- CITES permits will be required only when pre-2007 bows are bought and sold internationally. Any bow sales within the UK will not require CITES permits.
- If a bow is bought abroad and brought into the UK, the person responsible for the movement will require an import permit from APHA and a (re-)export permit from the exporting country. Similarly, if a bow is sold in the UK and exported to another country, a re-export permit will be required (post-sale) from APHA and an import permit if applicable from the importing country.
- Note that APHA cannot advise on the permitting requirements of other countries. You will need to reach out to the Management Authority of the relevant country to ask for advice on their permitting requirements. Contact details for Management Authorities are available on the CITES website.
Yes, as the purpose of the introduction of the bow into the UK is seen as commercial you will require a CITES (re-)export permit or pre-Convention certificate from the country you are buying the bow from, as well as a UK import permit to legally import the bow into the UK.
Yes, as the purpose of the introduction of the bow into the UK is seen as commercial you will require a CITES (re-)export permit or pre-Convention certificate from the country the bow is travelling from, as well as a UK import permit to legally import the bow into the UK.
This applies to all pre-2007 bows introduced into the UK or leaving the UK on consignment, whether the bow is ultimately sold and ownership transferred or not. Consignment is not included in the list of reasons exempt under the revised rules, as it is a contract with intent to sell and thus commercial.
You will not need a CITES Article 10 certificate to sell a Pernambuco bow within the UK as Article 10 certificates are only required for commercial trade of CITES specimens listed on Appendix I. Following CoP20, Pernambuco is still listed on CITES Appendix II.
However, if your Pernambuco bow includes other materials which are Appendix I CITES listed (e.g. ivory) then you would need an Article 10 certificate for those elements of the bow.
- The UK’s CITES management authority (APHA) aims to issue permits within 30 days after receipt of payment, but processing may take longer.
- Applicants should prepare early and gather clear evidence of pre2007 origin.
- APHA can notify applicants via email once a permit has been issued, applicants should request notification at the time of application.
- Multiple bows can be listed on a single permit if they are contained within one shipment and share the same details, i.e. importer/exporter name and address, country of origin, source, purpose.
- Composite items: For bows containing more than one CITES listed species, a permit will be required for each species e.g. a Pernambuco bow with ivory decoration.
The company or person responsible for the movement of the bow out of the UK should apply and be listed as the exporter on the re-export permit.
No, the deadline for the implementation of the new rules is 5 March 2026 for all CITES parties. A delayed implementation in the UK by entering a reservation would not change the requirements relating to international commercial trade of Pernambuco bows as permits would still be required by other parties, and the UK would still need to issue comparable documentation under CITES.
The new rules mean that people traveling with Pernambuco bows for non-commercial purposes continue to be exempt from CITES permits and therefore do not have to declare their bow at the border to customs.
However, given that commercial movement of bows requires CITES permits, if customs officials do question you at the border it would be helpful if you could provide some evidence that you are travelling with the bow for non-commercial purposes, e.g. information about the concert you are travelling to perform at or details of an appointment for an appraisal of the bow.
The UK does not currently issue pre-Convention certificates, but it can accept those issued by other Parties on the import of pre-Convention specimens into the UK.
However, stakeholders should note that pre-Convention certificates are not widely used by CITES Parties and Parties are not required to accept them in place of CITES permits. There is therefore a risk that a trader may be issued with a pre-Convention certificate for re-export only for the importing country to reject it.
Unless all Parties commit to using pre-Convention certificates for pre-Convention specimens it is less risky for traders to continue to rely on standard (re) export and import permits for pre-Convention specimens.
There are currently no plans to designate Eurostar St Pancras as a CITES Point of Entry (PoE). This follows an assessment by the UK Border Force (BF), which concluded that the terminal does not have the necessary capacity or infrastructure to carry out CITES checks. The most recent evaluation of St Pancras was conducted by BF in early 2025 as part of the new CITES PoE review.
Additionally, as the terminal operator is responsible for providing appropriate facilities for CITES checks, this would require a commercial decision by Eurostar.
If circumstances change the decision will be revisited.
View the current list of CITES designated points of entry and exit in the UK.
If you cannot prove that your Pernambuco bow was lawfully acquired and that the wood was harvested before 2007, you cannot trade it internationally after 5 March 2026.