EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury Excerpts

Friday 8th January 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury (LD) [V]]

My Lords, our creative industries make us a soft-power superpower and an economic powerhouse. They unlock innovation and provide social cohesion. They are gold dust, yet they are totally shafted by this deal.

From the beginning of the Brexit process, we called for the creative industries to be at the top table for negotiations. Clearly, this did not happen. Crucially, these industries rely on the ability to work and travel across Europe without the need for visas, yet there are no reciprocal arrangements for touring artists to move freely. They rely on the automatic recognition of qualifications, allowing professionals such as architects to continue to practise in the EU. Again, there are no reciprocal arrangements there. They rely on free movement for instruments without onerous and expensive carnets and border checks. They rely on the digital single market that protects our IP; we await details on new arrangements to ensure that we remain protected post Brexit. They rely on country of origin, whereby the mutual recognition of broadcasting licences has led to the UK being the leading hub in Europe for the sector. That is now gone.

These freedoms and agreements have facilitated mutually beneficial commercial and artistic opportunities, but they are no more. Can the Minister confirm that a data adequacy agreement will be made before the present bridging mechanism lapses? Will documentation for transporting musical equipment between Northern Ireland and Britain be needed? Will the trade fairs exemption for short-term business visits also be applicable for live artistic events, meaning no need for work permits? Will the Government seek an agreement for a visa-free cultural work passport that avoids the need to apply to each of the 27 EU countries for those who want to tour?

This deal is extremely bad for our creative sector.