What are the problems when it comes to customs and transporting instruments and merchandise?

Within the EU customs union, musical instruments and merchandise can generally be transported without any customs formalities. When leaving the EU customs union and importing goods into another customs territory, they might be subject to import duties, for example, when selling merchandise in Switzerland. For a temporary export of goods such as musical instruments that are used on tour, customs formalities can be reduced with a document called Carnet ATA. If you intend to travel with musical instruments that include parts made out of protected or endangered species outside of the EU, you need specific CITES documents. Contact the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation for more information. General information on the topic can be found on the touring artists website and the Pearle guide for musicians and ensembles travelling with musical instruments containing protected species. The International Federation of Musicians published a ranking of airlines regarding their treatment of musical instruments.

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