Sign to help artists and level-up the UK-EU trade deal for everyone.
The Prime Minister promised musicians they could keep touring in Europe. He promised he would level-up British businesses. He broke those promises. Sign the open letter to the Boris Johnson. Help the UK bounce back better than ever!
Dear Boris Johnson,
Trade with Europe, especially in services, has been massively impacted by your paper-thin trade deal with Europe.
The UK cultural industries are worth £111 billion and contribute immeasurably to the UK's soft power. The financial services sector is worth £132 billion a year and supports 1 million jobs across the UK. Yet we've already lost €6 billion of trade in shares trading to the Continent, and countless musicians and performers have been unable to tour in Europe.
No wonder the OBR announced Brexit is causing long-term damage to our economy.
You promised artists they could continue to tour Europe after we left the EU. But your trade deal failed to deliver. Without visa-free touring, emerging artists and musicians will never be able to bounce back from COVID. We will lose the next generation of great British talent.
Hundreds of thousands of us have already stood up and said: that’s not good enough.
Nearly 300,000 people signed a parliamentary petition calling for a free cultural work permit for travel throughout the EU, and thousands of Best for Britain supporters contacted their MPs about the issue. Industry legends like Elton John came out in full support of Best for Britain’s campaign.
You promised to "sort out" gaps in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which has left musicians and actors unable to tour in Europe. We welcome the suggestion of a ‘creative export office’ that would help performers navigate and tackle all the new visa and permit issues that have been caused by Brexit.
But we need long-term solutions, and we need them now. Workers of all industries need a bespoke service to fill in the gaps left by the thin UK/EU trade agreement. The government should establish an interdepartmental task force to level-up trade in services and give British creative industries the post-COVID boost it needs.
We propose the task force’s responsibilities would include:
-
Assist music touring professionals, bands, artists, musicians, sports professionals and entertainers in securing the visas needed to tour.
-
Assist crews and production in obtaining ATA Carnet for production equipment, simplify the Carnet process for touring artist, or; exempt associated equipment from Carnet.
-
Reimburse costs incurred in obtaining visas and permits throughout the 27 EU member states.
-
Maintain a dialogue with the EU Commission, and with member states of the Schengen Area, to pursue a long-term solution to creative professionals unable to adequately work in Europe.
-
Investigate the liberalisation of trade in services and movement of professionals between Europe and the UK, including the mutual recognition of professional qualifications.
-
Work to establish meaningful regulatory dialogues, starting with financial services, as part of financial services equivalence.
Yours sincerely,
Sign your name above to give artists the help they need and level-up the UK-EU trade deal for all sectors.
Dear Boris Johnson,
Trade with Europe, especially in services, has been massively impacted by your paper-thin trade deal with Europe.
The UK cultural industries are worth £111 billion and contribute immeasurably to the UK's soft power. The financial services sector is worth £132 billion a year and supports 1 million jobs across the UK. Yet we've already lost €6 billion of trade in shares trading to the Continent, and countless musicians and performers have been unable to tour in Europe.
No wonder the OBR announced Brexit is causing long-term damage to our economy.
You promised artists they could continue to tour Europe after we left the EU. But your trade deal failed to deliver. Without visa-free touring, emerging artists and musicians will never be able to bounce back from COVID. We will lose the next generation of great British talent.
Hundreds of thousands of us have already stood up and said: that’s not good enough.
Nearly 300,000 people signed a parliamentary petition calling for a free cultural work permit for travel throughout the EU, and thousands of Best for Britain supporters contacted their MPs about the issue. Industry legends like Elton John came out in full support of Best for Britain’s campaign.
You promised to "sort out" gaps in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which has left musicians and actors unable to tour in Europe. We welcome the suggestion of a ‘creative export office’ that would help performers navigate and tackle all the new visa and permit issues that have been caused by Brexit.
But we need long-term solutions, and we need them now. Workers of all industries need a bespoke service to fill in the gaps left by the thin UK/EU trade agreement. The government should establish an interdepartmental task force to level-up trade in services and give British creative industries the post-COVID boost it needs.
We propose the task force’s responsibilities would include:
-
Assist music touring professionals, bands, artists, musicians, sports professionals and entertainers in securing the visas needed to tour.
-
Assist crews and production in obtaining ATA Carnet for production equipment, simplify the Carnet process for touring artist, or; exempt associated equipment from Carnet.
-
Reimburse costs incurred in obtaining visas and permits throughout the 27 EU member states.
-
Maintain a dialogue with the EU Commission, and with member states of the Schengen Area, to pursue a long-term solution to creative professionals unable to adequately work in Europe.
-
Investigate the liberalisation of trade in services and movement of professionals between Europe and the UK, including the mutual recognition of professional qualifications.
-
Work to establish meaningful regulatory dialogues, starting with financial services, as part of financial services equivalence.
Yours sincerely,
Sign your name above to give artists the help they need and level-up the UK-EU trade deal for all sectors.