That is why we tabled ambitious proposals during
negotiations with the EU. Our recent trade deal with
the three EFTA countries was based on the same offer,
and shows it is workable.
We, as government, have spoken to every EU Member
State about the issues facing our creative and
cultural industries when looking to tour in Europe.
From these discussions 19 Member States have
confirmed UK musicians and performers do not need
visas or work permits for short-term tours. These
countries are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden.
Supporting our creatives
We are now actively engaging with the remaining EU
Member States that do not allow visa and permit free
touring, and calling on them to align their
arrangements with the UK’s generous rules, which
allow touring performers and support staff to come to
the UK for up to 3 months without a visa. Formal
approaches via officials and DCMS Ministers have been
made to Spain, Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Bulgaria,
Romania, Malta and Cyprus. We are also working with
the sector to amplify each other’s lobbying efforts.
We recognise challenges remain around touring, and we
are continuing to work closely with the industry. We
want to ensure that when COVID-19 restrictions are
lifted, touring can resume and our world-leading
creative and cultural artists can continue to travel
widely, learning their craft, growing their audiences
and showing the best of British creativity to the
world.
