LONDON (AP) – Dozens of UK music stars, including Elton John, Ed Sheeran and conductor Simon Rattle, say musicians have been “shamed” by the British government, which has allowed them to face post-Brexit restrictions on touring. in the European Union.
In a letter published Wednesday in the Times of London, more than 100 musicians, including Sting, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd and Roger Daltrey of The Who, along with the heads of major art institutions, said the new UK trade deal -EU which entered into force. 1 has “a gaping hole in which the free movement promised to musicians should be.”
Britain’s departure from the EU means that British citizens can no longer live and work freely in the bloc of 27 nations. Tourists do not need visas for stays of up to 90 days and a few short business trips are allowed. But artists and musicians were not included in the agreement.
The UK and the EU do not agree on who is to blame for the omission, each accusing the other of rejecting a deal for artists on tour.
The new rules mean that UK performers have to follow different rules in the 27 EU countries, negotiating visas for musicians and permits for their equipment. Many say that costs and bureaucracy will make it impossible for British artists to perform on the continent, jeopardizing the country’s status as a cultural powerhouse.
The musicians’ letter said the new spending and bureaucracy would make “many unviable tours, especially for young emerging musicians who are already struggling to keep their heads above water because of the COVID ban on live music.”
Scottish National Party MP Pete Wishart, a former member of the rock band Runrig, said in the House of Commons on Tuesday that musicians and artists are “a mere guarantee in this government’s obsession with ending freedom of movement” and controlling immigration once it left the EU.
Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage acknowledged that the situation was “incredibly disappointing”, but said that “the door is open” for talks with the EU on an agreement for musicians. She resisted calls from the opposition to publish details of proposals made by Britain during negotiations that the bloc would have rejected.
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