The music industry has called on political leaders in the UK and EU to include tackling the post-Brexit barriers faced by British artists touring Europe on the agenda of the UK/EU summit happening in London next week.
That summit takes place on Monday and is described by the UK government as an opportunity to “cover a range of UK-EU issues” and “to look to foster a stable, positive and forward-looking relationship”.
An open letter backed by various music industry organisations begins, “we fully understand that defence and security will be central to your considerations”, but adds “we kindly encourage you to take this opportunity to also discuss other areas of importance to the relationship that will deliver tangible benefits for the people of the EU and the UK”.
It then argues that “cultural exchange and cooperation between the EU and the UK is one such issue. Put simply, the current arrangements are not working. Which means audiences, artists and venues in the EU and UK are missing out on the enormous benefits which closer cultural exchange would bring”.
Ever since the UK left the European Union, British performers and their crews have been subject to extra bureaucracy when touring Europe, with the rules around permits and visas differing for county to country.
A statement accompanying the open letter summarises the various issues caused by Brexit, including “increased costs and bureaucracy due to requirements for visas, work permits and carnets for touring UK artists, merchandising costs and the need to navigate complex cabotage requirements for trucks and hauliers that support UK tours in the EU”.
Although some specific issues have been addressed with individual EU member states, the industry has been pushing for a bolder plan to remove the post-Brexit barriers performers face.
Naomi Pohl, General Secretary of the Musicians’ Union, one of the organisations backing the letter, says, “We believe there is a genuine will from the UK government to remove barriers to touring in the EU for UK musicians and their crew”.
“It must be a priority in trade negotiations if we are to see a resurgence in touring activity and our members' businesses thrive”, she adds. “Touring internationally and domestically is a key part of the music business; crucial to musicians' livelihoods and their relationship with fans”.
And, she goes on, the post-Brexit bureaucracy, “disproportionately impacts grassroots artists with small teams and limited resources”.
The open letter is also backed by Pearle*, which brings together organisations representing the live music and entertainment sectors across Europe.
Its Director Anita Debaere, says “we support strong cultural partnerships and easier mobility between the EU and UK for musicians, performers and technical workers across the live performance sector. Removing touring barriers is vital to foster artistic collaboration, economic growth and cultural exchange, benefiting professionals of the sector and audiences alike”.