Can The PM Make it easier for musicians touring in the EU?

We spoke to guitarist Jack Hutchinson who told us ‘I toured Spain for the first time since Brexit last year. It nearly broke me financially and I only just about survived due to a pocket of funding from @helpmusicians. I’d done a similar tour 3 times pre Brexit and each time is was relatively financially successful. Following the last tour I cancelled my return trip this year as I just couldn’t take the financial risk.’

Labour promised that they would make it easier for musicians to tour in Europe. The Common Understanding document, agreed at the last UK-EU Summit, explicitly recognises the value of cultural exchange alongside economic, security and defence benefits of bilateral co-operation.

The next UK-EU Summit takes place in the autumn and is a real opportunity to make good on these promises. That means negotiating practical measures to make it easier for musicians to tour in the EU, and acting at home to reduce the cost and complexity of carnet and other Brexit red tape that makes it more difficult and more expensive to tour in the EU.

Let us know what you plan to do.