Recommendations We welcome the Government’s firm commitment to work with music organisations to solve these critical issues, including mobility. We understand that this commitment extends across the whole of Whitehall. We now need the same willingness from the EU so that both sides can move forward with this urgent issue. The ISM and MU are committed to working with the UK Government to fix the problems facing musicians post Brexit. Unravelling and reducing the bureaucratic and regulatory burdens facing music and wider creative sector is the urgent priority.
Negotiations & bilateral agreements To achieve this, we are calling on the UK Government to negotiate a bespoke visa waiver agreement with the EU. This would be separate from the TCA and exempt touring performers, creative teams and crews from needing to obtain a visa when seeking paid work. We have been advised by a leading QC that an agreement of this nature between the UK and the EU would be highly advantageous for the following reasons: 1. 2. 3.
UK musicians could travel visa-free to carry out paid activity on an ad-hoc basis There is precedent and the mechanisms are well known There is a structure to manage and oversea delivery
In light of the advice received from the leading QC, we strongly believe that a bespoke visa waiver agreement with the EU for the creative and cultural sector would add certainty for the future and start the process of dismantling the mountain of red tape facing musicians. It would also send a strong message that the UK Government is doing everything it can to protect our world leading creative and cultural sector. The bespoke visa waiver agreement is also entirely compatible with the Government’s manifesto commitment to take back control of our borders. We are also calling on the Government to negotiate bilateral agreements with individual EU Member States that do not currently offer cultural exemptions for work permits, such as Spain, Italy, and Portugal or which are financially the most important to UK musicians. We are delighted that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has started speaking bilaterally with independent nations and urge the Government to progress quickly with these important discussions.
Other outstanding issues In addition to these priority proposals, we have the following asks for Government: •
Outward mobility: Publish guidance to help the performing arts sector navigate the different visa and work permit requirements for each EU Member State as a matter of urgency.
•
Inward mobility: Provide further guidance to clarify inward mobility including Short-term visitor routes; Frontier Workers; Paid Permitted Engagement (PPE) and the roles that qualify under this; Longer term engagements.
•
Movement of goods: Provide further guidance to clarify ATA Carnet Ambiguities, Movement from GB to NI; and CITES Musical Instrument Certificates; and improve cabotage regulations for hauliers.
•
Compensation: Provide an emergency funding package for the performing arts sector to compensate for the additional costs associated with touring and the loss of work.
•
Replacement funding: Provide more information about the Shared Prosperity Fund, including how and by whom it will be allocated, and what the alternative will be to Creative Europe.
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