Independent Society of Musicians Welcomes New Deal between the UK and the EU

Following a summit, the UK Government announced that it would "explore how best to improve arrangements" for touring musicians in the EU

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa as part of a summit to advance the relationship between the UK and the European Union (EU).

Following the meeting, a "Common Understanding" document was published, which contains information relevant to touring musicians and other creatives.

The document states that "the European Commission and the United Kingdom recognize the value of travel and cultural and artistic exchanges, including the activities of touring artists. They will continue their efforts to support travel and cultural exchange."

Further, a second document from the UK Government notes that "the UK will explore how best to improve arrangements for touring across the European continent," in conjunction with EU member states.

The Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) has welcomed the deal, as they have been campaigning for improved touring standards for years. The organization produced research noting that almost half of its respondents had less work in the EU following Brexit.

"It is great to see the UK Government setting a new and positive direction for our relationship with the EU," said Deborah Annetts, ISM Chief Executive. "However, we urge them not to forget the huge adverse impact which Brexit has had on musicians’ ability to tour in Europe, following the TCA coming into effect in 2021. Our research Paying the Price found that about half of the respondents had had less work in the EU as a result of Brexit and over a quarter said that they had none at all."

"We urgently need the Government to commence talks with the EU on the Visa Waiver Agreement which the music sector has been calling for since 2021, as well as tackling issues such as carnets and cabotage."