Get Pollstar News and more delivered right to your inbox with Pollstar Daily Pulse.
By signing up, you agree to Pollstar’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Musicians and industry leaders from the UK and Europe have joined forces to demand urgent action to remove the barriers to touring across the EU.
They are warning political leaders that the current arrangements for UK acts touring the EU and EU acts touring the UK are “not working,” thus depriving millions of music fans of the chance to see their favourite acts perform live.
Backed by people working across the UK and EU music industries, an open letter to UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, European Council president António Costa, and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, has been organized by the Musicians’ Union, the Association of British Orchestras, LIVE, Pearle, the Independent Society of Musicians, and UK Music.
The open letter, available in full below, has more than 550 signatories from organizations and individuals. It outlines how the barriers of soaring costs and red tape means “audiences, artists and venues in the EU and UK are missing out on the enormous benefits which closer cultural exchange would bring.”
The letter concludes: “Our strong collective desire to share, learn and inspire in the creativity from both the EU and the UK is united. As our political leaders, we call on your combined efforts in these important talks to overcome any obstacles and barriers affecting the economic and cultural growth of this important sector, that currently stand in the way of fulfilling this relationship.”
Their call for action to remove the barriers facing those seeking to tour and work across the EU comes ahead of the key EU-UK Summit to be held in London on Monday, May 19.
It also comes ahead of the annual celebration of European music this week in the lead-up to the 2025 Eurovision final on Saturday, May 17, in Basel, Switzerland.
Among those supporting the letter are Blur drummer Dave Rowntree, British mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly, broadcaster and LIVE chair Steve Lamacq, British conductor Sir Mark Elder, and British oboist and conductor Nicholas Daniel, OBE.
Since Brexit in January 2020 the music industry has faced a number of challenges, including increased costs and bureaucracy due to visa requirements; work permits and carnets for touring UK artists; merchandising costs; and the need to navigate complex cabotage requirements for trucks and haulers that support UK tours in the EU.
Sir Elton John is among those who warned of the “brick wall” of extra bureaucracy and paperwork faced by UK acts touring the EU to be torn down. He also joined the campaign to improve post-Brexit arrangements for younger stars and crew.
According to the latest UK Music figures, the UK music industry contributed £7.6 billion ($10 billion) in terms of gross value added (GVA) to the economy in 2023. The sector also delivered exports of £4.6 billion ($6.1 billion), and provided employment for 216,000 people, according to UK Music stats.
Pre-Brexit, in 2019, the EU was the UK’s largest live music market, worth four times the size of the U.S., the UK’s second largest market.
See: ‘Caught In The Middle Of A Political Impasse’: Brexit Red Tape Highlighted
Tom Kiehl, chief executive, UK Music, commented, “The ability to tour the EU free from barriers and restrictive red tape has been central to the UK music industry’s incredible success for decades. And it is absolutely essential to its future prosperity. This country continues to produce swathes of amazing artists who are being deprived of the opportunity to build crucial new international audiences, while fans are missing out on the chance to discover some of the most exciting talent emerging from the UK.
“The costs of touring the EU are challenging for the entire UK music ecosystem, from artists and musicians to engineers and technicians, but at a grassroots level they are posing an existential threat, with many artists prevented from growing the kind of global fanbase they need to survive. It is vital that these barriers to our nearest neighbors are removed so that our world class talent is free to flourish.”
Naomi Pohl, general secretary, Musicians’ Union: “We believe there is a genuine will from the UK Government to remove barriers to touring in the EU for UK musicians and their crew. It must be a priority in trade negotiations if we are to see a resurgence in touring activity and our members’ businesses thrive. Touring internationally and domestically is a key part of the music business; crucial to musicians’ livelihoods and their relationship with fans. The costs and admin currently faced by our members working in Europe, which are frankly nonsensical in some cases, disproportionately impact grassroots artists with small teams and limited resources. We look forward to a resurgence of touring and revitalized cultural exchange in our closest neighboring market.”
Jon Collins, CEO, LIVE: “The breadth of companies, organizations and individuals that have signed this letter is clear evidence that the importance of resolving touring issues crosses borders, genres and functions. To have leading European promoters line up alongside venue operators, artists, crew and more is testament to the widespread desire to unlock the economic, cultural and societal benefits that will come for all concerned if the EU Commission and UK Government can deliver improved touring arrangements.”
Anita Debaere, director, Pearle: “We, at Pearle – Live Performance Europe, support strong cultural partnerships and easier mobility between the EU and UK for musicians, performers and technical workers across the live performance sector. Removing touring barriers is vital to foster artistic collaboration, economic growth and cultural exchange, benefiting professionals of the sector and audiences alike.”
Judith Webster, CEO, Association of British Orchestras (ABO): “Our celebrated, world-leading orchestras have used their international renown to take the best of British culture across Europe year on year. The EU remains UK orchestras’ largest foreign market. It is absolutely critical to resolve ongoing touring barriers which will enable UK orchestras to drive growth, create opportunities for future generations and deepen the strategic relationship between the UK and the EU.”
Deborah Annetts, chief executive, Independent Society of Musicians (ISM): “A better arrangement for our touring artists and creative industries is in the best interests of both the UK and the EU. The wide-ranging support for this letter demonstrates that the creative industries are united across borders on this issue. All these years after Brexit, I really hope that the upcoming summit is the beginning of a process which ends with a better deal for musicians, the music sector and the creative industries not just for the UK but also the EU.”
The open letter in full:
Open letter to António Costa, President of the European Council, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission and Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer MP, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
We write to you as representatives of music and theatre, as well as artists, creative professionals, technical workers and crew that support these performing arts, from across the European Union and United Kingdom.
We welcome your intention to take forward a summit on 19 May in London to consider the closest relationship it will be possible for the EU and the UK to build. We fully understand that defence and security will be central to your considerations in May as it puts our shared values at the core. Upon the occasion of the summit we kindly encourage you to take this opportunity to also discuss other areas of importance to the relationship that will deliver tangible benefits for the people of the EU and the UK. Cultural exchange and cooperation between the EU and the UK is one such issue, with both the EU-UK Domestic Advisory Group and EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly recently highlighting concerns in this regard. Put simply, the current arrangements are not working. Which means audiences, artists and venues in the EU and UK are missing out on the enormous benefits which closer cultural exchange would bring.
Our strong collective desire to share, learn and inspire in the creativity from both the EU and the UK is united. As our political leaders, we call on your combined efforts in these important talks to overcome any obstacles and barriers affecting the economic and cultural growth of this important sector, that currently stand in the way of fulfilling this relationship.
Subscribe to Pollstar HERE
English 
Powered by OneTap
UK & EU Music Industry Chiefs Urge Political Leaders To Tear Down EU Touring Barriers In Open Letter – Pollstar News
