The hangover of Brexit for British musicians – we know this now

In December, the European Union and the United Kingdom successfully negotiated such a new trade agreement, and it went into effect at the turn of the year. There is no agreement in the agreement that musicians will be able to move freely across EU borders.

This means that tourist artists and bands may need a work visa for each individual country that requires it. Something that leads to more administrative work and costs if you want to take a tour within the European Union.

Suggestions for a music session

Concerns about this have emerged since the UK voted to leave the European Union. The Musicians’ Union has worked to ensure that its members have some kind of musician’s passport, making it possible to move across member states’ borders, just as before.

The government assured us that it would be so – so they could make it happen. We’re really, really disappointed with the latest news, says Horace Trowbridge, General Secretary of the Musicians’ Union.

When negotiations on a trade agreement took place in December, a petition was launched asking British musicians and staff to be able to tour without a visa. It currently has 260,000 signatures and Boris Johnson has promised to meet with MEPs to discuss the issue.

Both sides blame each other

The EU says the UK has rejected a proposal for visa-free travel for 90 days in each 180-day period.

British Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden writes in one Statement in NME The UK has come up with a tailor-made offer so that artists and their staff are on the list so that they do not need work visas.

“But the EU rejected the proposal several times,” he wrote.

It’s not that simple anymore when Britain was a member state

In a statement to Kulturnyheterna, a European Commission spokesperson wrote:

“The UK has chosen to no longer allow free movement of EU citizens bound for the UK. It has also refused to include a mobility chapter in the agreement. These options inevitably mean that travel between the EU and the UK, even for business purposes, will not be as easy as it was when it was The United Kingdom is a member state.

Culture Minister Oliver Dowden wrote in his statement that Britain remains open to debate, should the European Union change.