Plea to fight for musicians to tour the EU with their staff ‘visa-free’ has been denied by the ministers.
After the failure of the Brexit deal proposed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, to secure visa-free touring for English musicians in the EU last month, a large uproar had erupted, including a petition (now) signed by over 250,000 fans of music who asked for the government to fight for artists’ rights to tour the EU without having to apply for country-specific visas.
The failure of the Brexit deal to secure visa-free touring for English musicians also meant a tremendous rise of costs for currently-touring artists and hindrance for the up-and-coming artists. Both parties blamed each-other for the outcome. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden blamed the EU, saying, “It was the EU letting down music on both sides of the Channel – not us”, while EU retorted by saying that their own offer of ‘90 days of visa free travel’ was reciprocated by the UK with only ‘30 days of visa free travel’.
Despite the outrage among musicians and the fans and the complaints voiced by the Musicians’ Union, the government rejected the idea to keep pushing for visa-free travel for musicians and just today MP Caroline Dineage stated to “take back control” was of higher precedence.
Dineage says that wouldn't be "compatible" with the government's manifesto commitment to "take back control" of Britain's borders and that it wouldn't have enabled touring anyway.
— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) January 19, 2021
Dineage also confirmed that the Brexit negotiation would mean domestic immigration checks and visas to meet for artists to be able to tour in the EU states, while blaming the EU for the rejection of ‘visa-free’ travel for musicians.
Culture minister Caroline Dineage confirms that as a result of Brexit, musicians and arts touring in the EU "will be required to check domestic immigration and minister rules for each member states in which they wish to tour."
That may include a visa or work permit.
— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) January 19, 2021
Dineage blames the EU, saying they rejected proposals to ensure travel was visa free. The EU has said that's nonsense, that the British proposals would not have solved the visa problem and that they offered a 90 day visa free offer for a range of professions.
— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) January 19, 2021
