Solely one of many 27 EU international locations has agreed a deal to rescue post-Brexit music excursions regardless of Boris Johnson’s vow to ‘repair’ ‘the disaster, an trade group is protesting.
The prime minister made the pledge below stress 9 months in the past – however solely Spain has signed an settlement since, leaving artists drowning in costly “mountains of pink tape”.
Now the Included Society of Musicians is urging Liz Truss, the brand new Brexit minister, to reject the hardline method of her predecessor, David Frost, which did not make “progress”.
“All the issues first recognized as dealing with the inventive sector as a result of TCA [the Brexit trade deal] nonetheless stay,” says a letter to the overseas secretary.
In an article for The Impartial, the opera singer Sarah Connolly describes the grim scenario dealing with touring artists as “a seeping, pallid, undercooked, slippery slop”.
“2022 is a yr that many within the inventive industries will stay up for with trepidation,” Dame Sarah writes.
“Omicron is on the rise and the issues with the Brexit deal from 12 months in the past are nonetheless issues at present. My message to the federal government for the brand new yr is, ‘take heed to us’.”
The commerce deal noticed the UK – as The Impartial revealed – reject an EU supply to retain visa and permit-free excursions, breaking a promise made to music organisations final yr.
In March, Mr Johnson, confronted with the extreme issues acquiring paperwork to carry out and to move tools throughout EU borders, advised MPs: “We should repair it.”
However Lord Frost – the minister he put in cost – appeared to scrub his fingers of the disaster and refused to say it might be resolved, earlier than quitting the cupboard.
Ministers had been then attacked, together with by Elton John, for wrongly claiming 21 of the 27 EU international locations are providing visa and work permit-free entry, when extreme restrictions nonetheless exist in virtually all of them.
In its letter, the Included Society of Musicians (ISM), representing 11,000 members, urges Ms Truss to change tack and kickstart negotiations with EU states, whereas nonetheless calling for a visa waiver cope with Brussels.
“The sector is now dealing with mountains of pink tape, which is each expensive and time-consuming,” warns Deborah Annetts, its chief government.
“The proposed options comparable to bilateral agreements with EU states haven’t materialised other than with Spain and there are critical points with cabotage, carnets and designated ports.
“All these points are adversely impacting the UK music trade and the broader inventive industries, which is value £116bn every year, the identical as finance or development.”
So as to add the anger, Nadine Dorries, the tradition secretary, rapidly claimed credit score for the Spain deal, permitting UK musicians to work for 90 out of 180 days.
However trade insiders insist organisations together with the Affiliation of British Orchestras, and their counterparts in Spain, did the majority of the negotiating – and it doesn’t cowl transportation.
The International, Commonwealth and Improvement Workplace has been invited to answer the criticisms raised within the letter.
Kaynak: briturkish.com
