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European music organisations call for EU-wide dialogue on cross-border touring
By Chris Cooke | Published on Friday 21 July 2023
A group of pan-European music industry organisations has called on European Union member states to instigate a dialogue with the sector about the issues that impact artists and performers as they seek to tour around the continent of Europe.
Coinciding with Spain taking over the Presidency of the EU Council, the music groups have identified a number of specific issues in an open letter called ‘A New European Vision For Touring’. It states that “there is a need for a new vision for European touring that enhances security, co-operation and cross-border cultural exchange across the European Economic Area, while also enhancing European culture and live experience”.
Obviously, artists in the UK have faced a number of new challenges when touring Europe as a result of Brexit. But there are also issues that affect artists and the live sector across the continent.
Some of that relates to venues and festivals, or indeed EU-based artists, wanting to work with music-makers from outside the EU, including from other European countries that are not part of the union. But there are also challenges for EU-based artists touring within the EU itself.
The new call for the EU and its member states to consider these challenges and issues comes from organisations like FIM and IAO, which represent artists and performers, and Live DMA and Liveuope, which speak for the live sector – as well as EMMA, representing music managers; IMPALA, representing the independent music community; and EMEE, bringing together music export offices from across Europe.
They say in their open letter: “As Spain took over the Presidency of the Council a few weeks ago, with enabling cross-border mobility for artists addressed as part of its programme, [we] join forces to call on EU member states to launch a dialogue with the sector around the topic of mobility as a vital component of competitiveness within the sector”.
“Facilitating live shows is crucial for artists and labels who were entirely deprived of their performance revenues for more than two years with the COVID-19 pandemic”, the letter goes on.
“As the consequences of the pandemic continue to impact artists and music operators across the entire live music value chain, they now must also deal with a surge in fuel and energy prices, while costs of living increase across the world in parallel”.
“To achieve a lasting change to benefit artists and cultural workers, mobility questions should be mapped and reassessed in light of their real experiences and impact to economic and cultural competitiveness”, it adds.
“Do we need a simplified process, particularly given the lasting impact of COVID? What steps do we need to take to reduce red tape and boost European culture? Do we need a European cultural area and a new status for artists and cultural workers in terms of visas? The question of mobility in greater Europe is vital but understandably complex in the current climate”.
The specific issues raised in the letter include visas, carnets, cabotage, funding and obstacles for carrying musical instruments on planes. You can read the full open letter here.
