Pernambuco registration 2026: what luthiers, manufacturers and musicians must do

Key data

If you manufacture violin, viola or double bass bows, if you are a luthier with pernambuco stocks in your workshop, or if you trade this wood, you have a new administrative obligation from today. The Resolution of September 17, 2026 from the General Directorate of Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification establishes the Internal Information and Traceability System for specimens, materials and stocks of Paubrasilia echinata in Spain.

The system is not a trade authorization nor does it replace CITES permits: it is an auxiliary documentary control instrument that allows Spain to fulfill its obligations to the CITES Secretariat and prevent illegal trade in a species with a null quota for wild specimens.

What does this regulation establish?

The system collects, for each holder or possessor of pernambuco in Spain, the following data:

• Nature of the specimen or material (raw wood, finished bow, shavings, etc.)
• Quantity and volume of stocks
• Origin of the material (documented legal provenance)
• Supporting documentation (CITES permits, invoices, certificates of origin)
• Physical location of specimens

The international framework driving it are the CITES Decisions 20.239 to 20.243, adopted at the last Conference of the Parties. Spain, as a State Party, is obligated to implement this internal traceability system to strengthen control over a species whose wild extraction has a zero quota.

A critical point: registration in the registry does not constitute trade authorization nor prejudges the granting of future CITES permits. These are independent procedures. Having the registry up to date does not allow you to sell pernambuco without a CITES permit; it simply certifies that your stocks are legal and located.

Economic and operational impact

The regulation does not set specific fees or economic sanctions in the published text. The impact is mainly operational and documentary compliance:

• Mandatory inventory: Any holder of pernambuco must conduct a detailed inventory of their stocks with the five types of required data (nature, quantity, origin, documentation and location).
• Risk of seizure: The system is designed precisely to detect stocks without supporting documentation. Material without justified origin is exposed to administrative intervention.
• Commercial blockade: With a null quota for wild specimens, any future acquisition of raw pernambuco from wild extraction is legally unfeasible. The market is restricted to already documented stocks and material of non-wild origin (certified plantations, recycled, etc.).
• Adaptation cost: For workshops and manufacturers with non-inventoried stocks, the real cost is the time for documentary management and, if applicable, the fees of a specialist advisor in CITES regulations.

Who does it affect?

• Manufacturers of bows for musical instruments (violin, viola, cello, double bass) that use pernambuco in their production.
• Luthiers with pernambuco wood stocks in their workshop, regardless of volume.
• Wood traders who have or have had pernambuco in their catalog.
• Professional musicians who possess bows made with pernambuco, to the extent that the resolution includes them as specimen holders.
• Importers and exporters of this species or products containing it.

If you have doubts about whether your activity falls within the scope of application, the criterion is simple: if you possess any material derived from Paubrasilia echinata in Spanish territory, this resolution affects you.

Practical example

A luthier in Valencia has three pernambuco sticks in his workshop acquired ten years ago from a French supplier, plus two finished bows pending sale. From September 28, 2026 must:

1. Document the nature of each piece: three raw sticks + two finished bows.
2. Register the exact quantity (weight or dimensions according to the required format).
3. Certify the origin: invoices from the French supplier and, if available, the original CITES import permits.
4. Attach the supporting documentation to the registry file.
5. Indicate the location: address of the workshop where they are kept.

If the luthier does not retain the documentation of origin, he must locate it or justify the chain of custody before joining the registry. Material without documented origin cannot be registered as legal stock.

What should companies do now?

1. Audit stocks immediately: Locate and quantify all pernambuco material in your possession, in any form (raw wood, semi-finished, finished bows).
2. Gather documentation of origin: Purchase invoices, CITES import permits, certificates of provenance. Without these documents, the material cannot be certified as legal.
3. Join the Internal Information and Traceability System: Contact the General Directorate of Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification to learn about the registration procedure and applicable forms.
4. Do not conduct commercial transactions without a CITES permit: Remember that the registry does not authorize buying and selling. Any transaction requires an independent CITES permit.
5. Review future acquisitions: With a null quota for wild specimens, any new pernambuco purchase must come from non-wild sources duly certified.
6. Consult a specialist in CITES regulations if you have stocks with incomplete documentation or if your activity involves regular import or export of this species.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is purely informational in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-20136