Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Touring Musicians: EU Visas and Permits — [Dr Rupa Huq in the Chair]

18 November 2021 · 10 other contributors · 14,329 words

Opened by Harriet Harman Lab Camberwell and Peckham

Responding minister: Julia Lopez

BrexitBusiness & Trade

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Harriet Harman raised concerns about touring musicians: eu visas and permits — [dr rupa huq in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The music sector in the UK accounted for nearly 200,000 jobs and was worth 5.8 billion before the pandemic.
  • British musicians face significant obstacles in obtaining work permits and visas for EU tours due to varied requirements across 27 countries.
  • The Minister committed to engaging directly with problematic EU countries to ease visa and permit requirements for British musicians.

Key requests to Government

The Government is urged to reach agreements with all EU countries for consistent regimes allowing British musicians to tour freely in the EU as quickly as possible. The Minister is requested to deliver on the Prime Minister's promise to fix the issue, provide clarity about progress made and expected timelines.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Harriet Harman Lab Camberwell and Peckham

The music sector accounts for nearly 200,000 jobs and was worth £5.8 billion before the pandemic, with 44% of musicians receiving up to half their earnings from EU touring pre-covid. British musicians face significant obstacles in obtaining work permits and visas for tours across 27 different EU countries due to varied requirements and regulations. This leads to substantial time, cost, and complexity issues, threatening the viability of organisations and potentially driving away talented artists.

Other contributors (10)
  • Alex Davies-Jones Lab Pontypridd

    Music is a unique part of Welsh culture, and the UK is the second biggest exporter of music in the world. However, touring musicians face complications such as expensive and difficult travel regulations to EU countries. Six out of 27 member states require visas or work permits, which are impractical for smaller artists with frequent itinerary changes.

  • Alex Sobel Lab Co-op Leeds Central and Headingley

    Sobel highlighted the challenges faced by touring musicians post-Brexit, including navigating 27 different sets of visa rules for each EU country. He cited numerous examples of musicians facing significant financial and logistical difficulties due to new regulations and emphasized the importance of practical solutions to support the music industry.

  • Bob Neill Con Bilston

    Supporting Patrick Grady's points about the impact of Brexit on musicians, Bob Neill highlighted that young opera singers are losing out due to inflexibility and lack of coordination between government departments.

  • David Warburton Con Dorset West

    The music industry employs more people than the fishing and steel industries combined, yet receives little attention. Employment in the sector has dropped by 35% with revenues halving due to Brexit-related uncertainties. Musicians face practical issues such as cabotage, carnets, visas, and work permits, which are prohibitive for new artists breaking into the market.

  • Florence Eshalomi Lab Co-op Vauxhall and Camberwell Green

    Paying tribute to the thriving music scene in Vauxhall, Florence Eshalomi highlighted the importance of musicians being able to travel freely across Europe. She mentioned David Bowie's cultural impact and the need for support from venues like the South Bank Centre to nurture young talent. She expressed concern that restrictions prevent British musicians from performing abroad and earning income.

  • John Nicolson SNP Nigg, Easter Ross and Skye

    The hon. Member expressed frustration with the ongoing issues faced by touring musicians due to Brexit bureaucracy, citing warnings from the Incorporated Society of Musicians about the UK's proposed bespoke deal. He criticised the lethargy in negotiations for visa deals with EU countries and highlighted the impact on orchestras and road haulage sectors. John Nicolson called for a more constructive engagement between the government and affected industries.

  • Julian Knight Con Solihull

    Mr Julian Knight highlighted the issues with the current EU visa system, stressing that it is unworkable and has caused significant disruption to touring musicians. He expressed disappointment at the delays in addressing this issue and suggested that there is a willingness across the EU to resolve these matters bilaterally.

  • Kerry McCarthy Lab Bristol East

    Critiqued the government's failure to prepare for Brexit, highlighting warnings from the industry and a lack of meaningful discussions. Emphasised the importance of UK music exports worth £2.9 billion annually. Raised issues about visa restrictions, merchandise sales, and cabotage rules affecting tour trucks, urging the Minister to address these challenges. Kerry McCarthy asked the Minister to clarify whether a single carnet requires detailed listing of each item in a drum kit, highlighting potential bureaucratic hurdles.

  • Kevin Brennan Lab Cardiff West

    Kevin Brennan highlighted the importance of touring musicians in Europe, emphasizing that artists from various genres and backgrounds contribute significantly to the UK's creative industry. He criticized the Government for not prioritizing this issue post-Brexit and mentioned a previous Minister's support for free movement for artists. Brennan accused Lord Frost of undermining these efforts and called for the issue to be handed over to someone with a cross-Government remit to address it properly. Kevin Brennan questioned the strength of relying on G7 visa waivers for touring musicians, noting that three G7 countries are EU members and others are distant from Europe.

  • Patrick Grady SNP Glasgow North

    The difficulties faced by musicians and performing artists due to Brexit are impacting their careers, wasting talent, and missing economic opportunities. Glasgow North, a hub for traditional music performers like the Kinnaris Quintet, is seeing a decline in European touring opportunities. Musicians face issues such as visa restrictions, increased travel costs including taxes on merchandise, and difficulties acquiring carnets necessary for tours.

Government Response

Julia Lopez

Ms Lopez highlighted the complexities of touring musicians post-Brexit, acknowledging calls for visa waivers but stating it was not viable due to manifesto commitments on border control. She detailed that twenty-one EU states offer visa-free routes for musicians while six remain problematic. Ms Lopez committed to engaging directly with these countries and noted positive progress with Spain. She also discussed the ATA carnet documentation requirements and cabotage rules, emphasizing ongoing work to clarify issues for touring artists.

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