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These initiatives were driven by Earl of Clancarty, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
Earl of Clancarty has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
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The dates of the first meetings of the committees established under the UK - EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement have not yet been agreed with the EU. These bodies, including the Partnership Council, will begin their work formally once the Agreement has been ratified - unless there are essential decisions which cannot be deferred. We look forward to a positive and constructive relationship with the EU, allowing businesses and citizens on both sides of the channel to prosper.
The arrangements for touring musicians between the UK and the EU relate to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and so would not be raised at the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee.
The date of the first meetings of the committees set up under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement will be announced in due course, when we have agreed with the EU.
The Government is currently negotiating commitments with EU member states on ‘Mode 4’. A reciprocal agreement based on best precedence would mean that UK citizens will be able to undertake some business activities in EU member states without a work permit, on a short-term basis. The precise details, including range of activities, documentation needed, and the time limit, are under negotiation.
The Government recognises the importance of touring for UK musicians and appreciates the significant contribution of the UK music industry.
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member
The results of this Treasury-led review will be published by the end of the year.
The Government recognises fashion businesses rely on smooth and efficient supply chains and we are taking action through industry engagement, including through a new Cabinet Committee on logistics. At present the position for UK freight is more positive than other locations globally who have experienced continued severe difficulties. We are continuing to work with the freight sector, including ports such as Felixstowe, to manage the impacts of a surge in container demand and HGV driver shortages.
My Hon. Friend the Minister for Small Business, Labour Markets and Consumers holds regular roundtables with the consumer goods manufacturing sector, including the UK Fashion and Textiles Association and British Footwear Association, and Lord frost has chaired the Brexit Business Taskforce on fashion and textiles in May to fully understand the sector’s concerns.
On 1 October, the Government launched the Export Support Service (ESS) - a single telephone helpline and digital enquiry service that will help British businesses export to Europe. It brings together information from across Government, making it easier for exporters to find what they need in one place. ESS will simplify and improve access to guidance for businesses, especially small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
High Value Manufacturing Catapult UK provides support for both SMEs to help develop, de-risk and support the journey of bringing new innovations to market and improve productivity; and large businesses who seek to investigate innovative technologies or scale-up new products or processes. From April 2021 until the end of March 2023, manufacturing companies can claim 130% capital allowances on qualifying plant and machinery investments. Under the super-deduction, for every pound a manufacturer invests, their taxes are cut by up to 25p.
At the meeting of the Specialised Committee on Services, Investment and Digital Trade on 11 October, the UK referred to touring artists in the context of the agenda item ‘Entry and temporary stay of natural persons for business purposes: implementation, transparency and sharing best practice’. The EU took note of the UK’s concerns. The minutes of the Committee meeting will be published in due course.
The minutes of the Specialised Committee on Services, Investment and Digital Trade under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement held on 11 October will be published in due course, on a date to be agreed with the EU Commission.
The UK and EU are committed to supporting all industries on mobility issues, including services sectors and the creative industries.
With respect to the creative industries in particular, the Government has established that some touring activities are possible without needing visas or work permits in at least 17 out of 27 Member States. This includes France, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and many more. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport are speaking to their ministerial counterparts in a number of key Member States. They have already spoken to Portugal and Austria, and will shortly speak to other Member States including Spain and Italy. These conversations are covering the reopening of our respective cultural and creative industries post Covid, and the importance of touring.
The UK-EU Trade & Co-operation Agreement (TCA) is based on best precedent set by the EU’s trade deals with Japan and Canada. The TCA ensures that both Parties offer a minimum standard of treatment for business travellers, such as guaranteed lengths of stay of up to 12 months for contractual service suppliers and independent (self-employed) professionals, subject to Member State reservations. This is in line with EU-Japan and CETA precedent, reflects the domestic immigration systems of most of the signatories of the agreement, and is more generous than the typical range of WTO commitments for this category of service suppliers.
The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) uses the United Nations’ Central Production Classification (CPC) (prov., 1991) to identify individual sectors and sub-sectors. Where the TCA says ‘other than through an agency for placement and supply services of personnel’, it is referring to CPC 872.
CPC 872 includes, but is not limited to, executive search services (87201) (‘services consisting in the search for, selection and referral of executive personnel for employment by others’); placement services of office support personnel and other workers (87202) (‘services consisting in selecting, referring and placing applicants in employment by others on a permanent or temporary basis, except executive search services’); and supply services of office support personnel (87203) (‘services consisting in supplying on a fee or contract basis to the clients, whether on a temporary or long-term basis, office support personnel hired by the supplier, who pays their emoluments’).
Her Majesty’s Government understands the term ‘agency’ to mean a business or organisation providing a particular service on behalf of another business. Her Majesty’s Government understands ‘an agency for placement and supply services of personnel’ to include recruitment services, of the kind described under CPC 872, but not language services. Language services may be better categorised under the subsector ‘translation and interpretation services’ (see Annex 19 (previously Annex SERVIN-4)).
Under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) the classification of the activities carried out by each UK and EU firm will depend on the specific services it provides, which may vary over time or as between different contracts. It would be possible for a single firm to carry out multiple activities at the same or different times (for example, to act both as a contract broker and as a recruitment agency).
This Government recognises the importance of the UK’s thriving cultural industries, and that is why it pushed for ambitious arrangements to make it easier for performers and artists to perform across Europe as part of the negotiations on our future relationship with the EU.
This Government proposed to the EU that musicians, and their technical staff, be added to the list of permitted activities for short-term business visitors in the entry and temporary stay chapter of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. This would have allowed musicians and their staff to travel and perform in the EU more easily, without needing work-permits.
As with legal text shared in confidence with trading partners, publishing transcripts of negotiations on trade agreements would not be appropriate as both parties exchanged information in confidence.
The Bounce Back Loan Scheme will operate alongside the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). Both are temporary schemes supporting small and medium-sized businesses during these unprecedented times.
The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme provides businesses with annual turnover of under £45m with access to working capital of up to £5m. It supports a wide range of business finance products, including term loans, overdrafts, invoice finance and asset finance facilities.
The Bounce Back Loan Scheme supports the smallest SMEs by providing loans from £2,000 up to 25% of the business’ turnover, with a maximum loan size of £50,000. This Scheme launched on 4 May and requires businesses to complete a short, simple, online application form, meaning that applications can be processed rapidly.
A business is not able to take out a Bounce Back Loan Scheme facility if they have been approved for a CBILS facility, and vice versa. However, all accredited lenders who have approved CBILS loans so far will allow customers to refinance their loan into the Bounce Back Loan Scheme where appropriate.
More than 69,000 Bounce Back Loans worth over £2 billion have been approved during the first 24 hours of the scheme.
The Government continues to work with the British Business Bank, HM Treasury and lenders to assess how effectively these schemes are working.
We are ending free movement of people. However, we still want to support our businesses in moving their talented people to provide services in both the UK and the EU, as quickly and as easily as possible.
The UK’s creative and digital industries comprise around 20% of the UK’s total exports in services and have grown rapidly in recent years. DCMS has engaged extensively with union bodies, artists and cultural organisations to help understand the needs of the creative and cultural sector, including freelancers who make up a significant proportion of people in these sectors.
As set out in the Political Declaration, both the EU and the UK will aim to provide for visa-free travel for short-term visits, and agree provisions on temporary entry and stay of natural persons, allowing businesses to move their talented employees and provide services.
The scope and detail of this will be subject to negotiations with the EU.
During the Transition period, until the end of 2020, there will be no changes to rules to provide services or work temporarily in the EU and UK Nationals can continue to travel to the EU as now.
We are ending free movement of people. However, we still want to support our businesses in moving their talented people to provide services in both the UK and the EU, as quickly and easily as possible.
As set out in the Political Declaration, both the EU and the UK will aim to provide for visa-free travel for short-term visits, and agree provision on temporary entry and stay of natural persons, allowing businesses to move their talented employees and provide services.
The scope and detail of this will be subject to negotiations with the EU.
During the Transition period, until the end of 2020, there will be no changes to rules to provide services or work temporarily in the EU and UK Nationals can continue to travel to the EU as now.
As set out in the Political Declaration, both the EU and the UK will aim to provide for visa-free travel for short-term visits, and agree provision on temporary entry and stay of natural persons, allowing businesses to move their talented employees and provide services.
The temporary movement of goods and equipment is a priority for cultural, creative and sport sectors - this includes instruments used by touring musicians, objects and collections loaned between museums, and sporting equipment taken to competitive events.
Cultural, creative and sporting organisations from all over the world regularly bring their goods and equipment into the UK on a temporary basis, and UK organisations do the same all over the world too.
Arrangements for moving goods and equipment between the UK and EU will not change before the end of the Transition period in December 2020. During the Transition period, until the end of 2020, there will also be no changes to rules to provide services or work temporarily in the EU and UK Nationals can continue to travel to the EU as now.
The scope and detail of this will be subject to negotiations with the EU.
The UK’s creative industries are worth more than the life sciences, automotive manufacturing, aerospace, and oil and gas sectors put together, generating £126 billion annually and employing over 2.4 million people across the country.
As set out in the Government’s Creative Industries Sector Vision, our ambition is to grow this sector by a further £50 billion gross value added and to support one million more jobs by 2030, delivering a creative careers promise which builds a pipeline of talent.
Each sub-sector of the creative industries makes a distinct contribution to the UK economy. The information requested is shown in the following tables:
Number of people working in each creative industries sub-sector (000s):
| Advertising and marketing | Architecture | Crafts | Design and designer fashion | Film, TV, radio and photography | IT, software and computer services | Publishing | Museums, Galleries and Libraries | Music, performing and visual arts |
2013 | 155 | 94 | 8 | 124 | 232 | 574 | 198 | 85 | 244 |
2014 | 167 | 101 | 8 | 136 | 228 | 607 | 193 | 84 | 284 |
2015 | 182 | 90 | 7 | 132 | 231 | 640 | 200 | 97 | 286 |
2016 | 198 | 98 | 7 | 160 | 246 | 674 | 193 | 92 | 291 |
2017 | 190 | 104 | 10 | 160 | 261 | 712 | 192 | 96 | 283 |
2018 | 195 | 111 | 9 | 163 | 245 | 733 | 199 | 89 | 296 |
2019 | 190 | 112 | 9 | 171 | 239 | 775 | 196 | 95 | 315 |
2020 | 201 | 115 | 8 | 151 | 279 | 872 | 197 | 104 | 294 |
2021 | 226 | 106 | 7 | 160 | 290 | 963 | 199 | 94 | 294 |
2022 | 241 | 110 | 5 | 139 | 280 | 1,035 | 209 | 96 | 283 |
Contribution to economy of each creative industries sub-sector, as measured by gross value added (GVA) (£ billions):
| Advertising and marketing | Architecture | Crafts | Design and designer fashion | Film, TV, radio and photography | IT, software and computer services | Publishing | Museums, Galleries and Libraries | Music, performing and visual arts |
2013 | 13.2 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 18.2 | 29.9 | 11.4 | 1 | 9.7 |
2014 | 13.3 | 3 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 18.1 | 32.6 | 11.4 | 0.8 | 8.6 |
2015 | 17 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 19.4 | 33.5 | 11.1 | 0.9 | 9.6 |
2016 | 15.7 | 3.4 | 0.3 | 3 | 20 | 37.6 | 11.4 | 0.9 | 9.3 |
2017 | 16.8 | 3.7 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 19.7 | 38.2 | 10.6 | 1 | 9.6 |
2018 | 16.4 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 3.3 | 19.2 | 40 | 10.4 | 0.9 | 10.2 |
2019 | 15.8 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 3 | 20.2 | 41.3 | 10.7 | 1 | 10.1 |
2020 | 15.9 | 3.2 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 17.8 | 42.9 | 10.1 | 0.6 | 7.4 |
2021* | 18.2 | 3.5 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 19.9 | 48.8 | 11.3 | 1 | 8.9 |
2022* | 18.8 | 3.7 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 20.8 | 55.4 | 11.6 | 1 | 11.2 |
*Figures for 2021 and 2022 are summed monthly GVA estimates as annual GVA estimates are not yet available. These figures are subject to revision and not directly comparable to the annual GVA estimates for 2013-2020 due to being calculated via a different method.
Source: Economic Estimates: GVA for DCMS Sectors and the Digital Sector, 2020 - GOV.UK (Annual GVA 2013-2020); DCMS and Digital Economic Estimates: Monthly GVA (to Sept 2023) - GOV.UK (Summed monthly GVA 2021-2022)
His Majesty’s Government is fully committed to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in the UK.
As with any international treaty, UK ratification of UNESCO Conventions should be considered fully, taking into account value for money to the UK taxpayer and the interests of the Devolved Administrations and our Overseas Territories. This process is making good progress, and Ministers expect to take a decision on the merits of ratification soon.
The Government decided not to seek continued participation in the Creative Europe programme, but to look at other ways of supporting the UK’s cultural and creative sectors.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a domestic successor to the European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund, and is not intended to be a replacement for Creative Europe. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is focused on building pride in place and increasing life chances, and delivered through three investment priorities: communities and place, local businesses, and people and skills.
To support independent screen content – including film – to grow internationally, the Government launched the UK Global Screen Fund in April 2021 with initial funding of £7 million. We have committed a further £21 million to this Fund over the period 2022–25 to develop, distribute, and promote independent UK screen content in international markets.
The Government decided not to seek continued participation in the Creative Europe programme, but to look at other ways of supporting the UK’s cultural and creative sectors.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a domestic successor to the European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund, and is not intended to be a replacement for Creative Europe. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is focused on building pride in place and increasing life chances, and delivered through three investment priorities: communities and place, local businesses, and people and skills.
To support independent screen content – including film – to grow internationally, the Government launched the UK Global Screen Fund in April 2021 with initial funding of £7 million. We have committed a further £21 million to this Fund over the period 2022–25 to develop, distribute, and promote independent UK screen content in international markets.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has announced an Energy Bill Relief Scheme to support non-domestic energy users (including museums and libraries) with increased energy prices. The support provides a discount on gas and electricity unit prices, applied to energy usage initially between 1 October 2022 and 31 March 2023. That will support museums and libraries to provide heating to people who visit this winter, but no separate support is being provided specifically to enable the sectors to act as warm hubs.
Public libraries are run by local authorities, as are some museums. In these cases it will be for each local authority to identify the needs of local residents and to make decisions about the use of these community assets to meet those needs, including the provision of warm hubs.
The full evaluation of the three-year pilot Young Audiences Content Fund will begin following the final determination of Year Three award funding; a timetable for the evaluation’s conclusion has not been set at this stage. The potential of further investment will be assessed following the conclusion of the evaluation and against future public service broadcasting needs.
HM Government has no current plans to put additional taxes on video-on-demand services or to introduce levies.
The full evaluation of the three-year pilot Young Audiences Content Fund will begin following the final determination of Year Three award funding; a timetable for the evaluation’s conclusion has not been set at this stage. The potential of further investment will be assessed following the conclusion of the evaluation and against future public service broadcasting needs.
HM Government has no current plans to put additional taxes on video-on-demand services or to introduce levies.
The Government is well aware of the great contribution freelancers make to the creative industries, and to our society and economy more widely. We are reviewing the scope of the Creative Industries Council to ensure it has appropriate representation, and so that it can be a voice for the full range of people working in the creative industries. We will be gathering views from a wide range of relevant parties to inform this work, including creative freelancers. In addition, we are consulting freelancers on the challenges they face through the Independent Review on Job Quality in the Creative Industries.
There has been no assessment of an increase of the Public Lending Right (PLR) central fund. The PLR central fund is part of the overall funding for the British Library, which is set for each Spending Review period.
The PLR Scheme is a valued right for authors and other contributors to receive payment when their books are borrowed from public libraries. My department conducts an assessment of the rate per loan annually following a recommendation by the British Library. The PLR rate per loan calculation is based on the annual number of ‘notional loans’ of books from public libraries in the UK.
We recognise the significant challenge the pandemic poses to our arts and creative sectors and to the many individuals and freelancers working across these industries.
DCMS officials have been engaging with HMRC, the Creative Industries Federation (CIF), Arts Council England, and leading organisations such as ‘What’s Next’ and individual freelancers within the sector to better understand the level of impact the pandemic has had on the sector and those working in it.
We have supported freelancers through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) which was extended at Budget to September 2021. Freelancers are also supported through the unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund support package, which has helped ensure the venues and organisations which support them have survived the pandemic. We were also pleased to announce Government funding via Arts Council England last December of an immediate £1.5 million emergency support for freelancers affected by the pandemic, alongside a further £1.35 million contribution from the theatre sector.
We will continue to work closely with freelancers and organisations across the sectors to see how we can best provide support to those affected.
The Government’s unprecedented £2 billion Culture Recovery Fund has now given out £1.5 billion of support to around 5,000 organisations and venues in grants and loans, ensuring the survival of organisations facing financial challenges. The Culture Recovery Fund has supported successful applicants with costs associated with operating in a manner compliant with Covid regulations.
The £300 million third round of the Fund is still open for applications, providing vital ongoing support for the cultural, heritage, and creative sectors. We will keep the delivery of the programme under active review and consider how best to adapt it in line with the needs of the sector.
The Touring Working Group was set up at the beginning of 2021 to help the creative and cultural sectors understand and adapt to new requirements following the UK's exit from the EU.
Membership of the Working Group includes the British Fashion Council, and we encourage all members of the working group to reach out to others to ensure that it hears and understands the views from across all the sectors it represents.
We have published a specific page on gov.uk to help the fashion sector navigate the guidance available online, and provide clarity regarding the practical steps that need to be taken by UK fashion professionals working in the EU.
The Government has also engaged with representatives of the fashion industry specifically on EU customs and export issues, through the Brexit Business Taskforce on Fashion and Textiles, chaired by Lord Frost in May, two of DIT’s Trade Advisory Groups, and a seminar jointly organised with the British Fashion Council.
Many of the 20 Member States offer visa and work permit free routes for up to 90 days, including some of the biggest touring markets such as France, Germany and Italy. All 20 Member States have confirmed they offer visa and work permit free routes for at least 30 days, aside from Sweden (up to 14 days a year), Latvia (up to 14 days), Estonia (up to 5 days in a 30 day period) and the Czech Republic (up to 7 consecutive days, or 30 days over a year). Austria offers visa and work permit free routes for up to four weeks, although artists may take up several chronologically linked employments for a longer overall duration.
Durations, precise definitions and requirements can vary from Member State to Member State. Travellers should therefore check what requirements they need to fulfill with the Member State to which they are travelling. To support this, we have published general business traveller summaries for all Member States on gov.uk, and we are engaging with Member States to encourage clear and accessible guidance. We are also sharing information with the industry on an ongoing basis, and working with sector organisations to help clarify areas of uncertainty in their own guidance.
We have always acknowledged that the end of freedom of movement would have consequences for touring musicians and performers. Member States are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in the EU, and we have spoken to every Member State.
We have established some touring activities are possible in at least 18 out of 27 Member States without needing visas or work permits. This includes France, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and many more.
The length of tour permitted without a visa or permit varies across Member States. For many Member States it is for up to 90 days, which will capture the vast majority of tours.
We are continuing to speak to each Member State to encourage them to ensure their rules and guidance are clear and accessible. And we are now engaging with those Member States that do not have any visa or permit free touring to encourage them to adopt a more flexible approach in line with the UK’s own rules, which allow creative professionals to tour easily here.
The government’s Roadmap set out four steps out of lockdown in England.
As of today, there are no limits on the number of people who can sing indoors or outdoors. This includes amateur and professional choirs, and congregational singing.
From Step 4, The government has removed outstanding legal restrictions on social contact and life events, and opened the remaining closed settings.
The Events and Attractions guidance sets out how those organising events can operate at step 4, including in the Performing Arts. The guidance will apply to workplaces and therefore is intended for those who are undertaking activities as part of their work, or who organise events in those venues. Organisers will need to assess whether this guidance is relevant when they plan activities that also involve amateur groups.
This Government recognises the importance of the UK’s live events sector and has provided significant financial support including an additional £300M to the Culture Recovery Fund details of which were announced on Friday 25th June.
The DCMS Secretary of State made clear at the DCMS Select Committee in May, the government is aware of the wider concerns around securing indemnity for live events and we continue to assess options to provide further support to the sector within the public health context.
The Secretary of State also underlined that the government’s first priority is to remove remaining barriers (such as social distancing) by reaching Step 4 of the Roadmap. Once that point is reached, if events still cannot go ahead because of a failure of the commercial insurance market, the Government will look at intervening as was done for the TV/Film sectors.
This Government recognises the importance of the UK’s live events sector and has provided significant financial support to cultural organisations, particularly through the Culture Recovery Fund.
As the Secretary of State made clear at the DCMS Select Committee on Thursday 13th May, the government is aware of the wider concerns around securing indemnity for live events and we continue to assess options to provide further support to the sector within the public health context, engaging with relevant stakeholders as necessary.
We need to be confident that any intervention would lead to an increase in activity, and that insurance represents the last barrier to events reopening. The government’s first priority is to remove remaining barriers (such as social distancing) by reaching Stage 4 of the Roadmap.
Research findings from the Events Research Programme’s first phase of pilots will be published on GOV.UK shortly.
The Government has committed to taking a cautious approach to easing restrictions, guided by data instead of dates, to avoid another surge in infections that could put unsustainable pressure on the NHS. The roadmap sets out indicative, “no earlier than” dates for each step which are five weeks apart. Each full step of our roadmap will be informed by the latest available science and data and will be five weeks apart in order to provide time to assess the data, providing one week’s notice to businesses and individuals.
This Government understands the importance of ensuring that workers in the music sector have the necessary skills, demonstrated through its commitment to music education. It was made clear in December 2018 that the existing National Plan for Music Education, originally co-published by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Education (DfE), would be refreshed. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the refresh of the National Plan is currently on hold, but the Government remains committed to publishing a refresh in due course, to support the next generation of music sector workers.
DCMS is also working closely with the music sector, including UK Music, to put in place programmes to aid music education and skills development. The Music Academic Partnership (MAP), which involves UK educational institutions and UK Music members, sees industry working with academics and educators to give colleges and university students a better chance of finding a job in the music industry. UK Music is also part of the Creative Industries Advisory Group which is working with DfE on developing reforms to the apprenticeship levy.
The Government recognises the world-leading position of the UK performing arts sector and the rich breadth of artistic talent across the UK.
UK performers and artists are of course still able to tour and perform in the EU, and vice versa. However, we understand the concerns about the new arrangements and we are committed to supporting the sectors as they get to grips with the changes to systems and processes.
As the Prime Minister has said, we're working flat out with the industry, including through the DCMS-led working group, on plans to support the creative sectors tour in Europe. Through our bilateral discussions with EU Member States, we have established that in at least 17 out of 27 Member States some touring activities are possible without visas or work-permits. The UK has significantly more generous arrangements for touring professionals than many Member States, and should they be willing to change their rules to match ours we will have those discussions and encourage them to do so.
We are considering a number of options to ensure performers, musicians and artists have the support they need to tour and work in countries across the EU. We have produced new guidance to help artists understand what's required in different countries, and are looking carefully at proposals for a new Export Office that could provide further practical help. We will set out next steps in due course.
The Government recognises the world-leading position of the UK performing arts sector and the rich breadth of artistic talent across the UK.
UK performers and artists are of course still able to tour and perform in the EU, and vice versa. However, we understand the concerns about the new arrangements and we are committed to supporting the sectors as they get to grips with the changes to systems and processes.
As the Prime Minister has said, we're working flat out with the industry, including through the DCMS-led working group, on plans to support the creative sectors tour in Europe. Through our bilateral discussions with EU Member States, we have established that in at least 17 out of 27 Member States some touring activities are possible without visas or work-permits. The UK has significantly more generous arrangements for touring professionals than many Member States, and should they be willing to change their rules to match ours we will have those discussions and encourage them to do so.
We are considering a number of options to ensure performers, musicians and artists have the support they need to tour and work in countries across the EU. We have produced new guidance to help artists understand what's required in different countries, and are looking carefully at proposals for a new Export Office that could provide further practical help. We will set out next steps in due course.
The Government appreciates that organisations require as much time and detail as possible to enable them to plan their reopening activities. However, proceeding to the next Steps of the government's Roadmap is subject to the review of data gained from relaxation of restrictions in previous steps, and the outcomes of the Events Research Programme and Social Distancing reviews. We will continue to keep guidance and restrictions under review, in line with the changing situation. Further detail on step 4 will be set out as soon as possible.
The Government values the profound contribution of the UK’s craft workers, artisans and artists to the preservation of our unique intangible heritage. We are exploring the merits of ratifying the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, as a potential addition to the broad range of support measures which already exist for this vital aspect of our nation’s life.
The EU tabled text regarding the paid activities that could be allowed as part of visa-free visits. However, these proposals would not have addressed the creative and cultural sectors’ concerns. The proposals were non-binding, did not include touring but only ‘ad-hoc performances’, did not include technical staff, and did not address work permits.
The EU’s proposals were also part of a wider package, including a visa-waiver for all EU citizens that was not consistent with the manifesto commitment to take back control of our borders. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement allows the UK to determine whether short-term visits from the EU should be subject to visa requirements or not, and ensures that the provision will not apply to future Member States unless the UK agrees to apply these provisions to do so.
The UK’s rules for touring creative professionals are significantly more generous than in many EU Member States. We have said our door is open if the EU is willing to reconsider its position.
In negotiations with the EU, the UK proposed expanding a list of activities for Short Term Business Visitors to cover musicians, artists and their accompanying staff. This would have enabled musicians, artists and support staff to tour and perform in the EU without needing work-permits. We regret that the EU rejected our proposals, but there is scope to return to this issue in the future should the EU change its mind.
UK performers and artists are of course still able to tour and perform in the EU, and vice versa. However, they will be required to check domestic immigration rules for each Member State in which they intend to tour. This is because, while some Member States may allow paid performances without a visa or work permit, others will require musicians, artists and other creative professionals to obtain a visa or work permit, in the same way that they are required for other international artists.
We understand the concerns of the sector regarding the new arrangements and we are committed to supporting them as they get to grips with the changes to systems and processes. The DCMS-led working group on creative and cultural touring, which involves sector representatives and other key government departments, is looking at the issues and options to help the sectors resume touring with ease as soon as it is safe to do so.
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement includes a list of 11 activities that can be carried out by short-term business visitors without a work permit, on a reciprocal basis in most Member States, subject to any reservations taken.
During negotiations with the EU, the UK proposed expanding this list of activities for Short Term Business Visitors to cover musicians and their accompanying staff. This would have enabled musicians and other creative professionals to travel and perform in the UK and the EU without needing work-permits. Regrettably, these proposals were rejected by the EU.
Due to the UK’s inclusion on the EU Schengen visa-waiver list, certain activities should be permitted, visa-free, across the whole Schengen Area for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. Member States may require a visa and/or a work permit for what they regard as “paid activity”. Some Member States do allow additional permitted activities, without the need for a visa or work permit, as part of their domestic immigration regimes. Therefore, UK cultural professionals, including musicians, seeking to perform within the EU will be required to check domestic immigration and visitor rules for each Member State in which they intend to perform.
We have published guidance on GOV.UK, signposting to official information provided by EU countries about their business travel routes, which is regularly updated. We are also undertaking an extensive programme of engagement with the sectors to help them understand these new requirements.
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement includes a list of 11 activities that can be carried out by short-term business visitors without a work permit, on a reciprocal basis in most Member States, subject to any reservations taken.
During negotiations with the EU, the UK proposed expanding this list of activities for Short Term Business Visitors to cover musicians and their accompanying staff. This would have enabled musicians and other creative professionals to travel and perform in the UK and the EU without needing work-permits. Regrettably, these proposals were rejected by the EU.
Due to the UK’s inclusion on the EU Schengen visa-waiver list, certain activities should be permitted, visa-free, across the whole Schengen Area for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. Member States may require a visa and/or a work permit for what they regard as “paid activity”. Some Member States do allow additional permitted activities, without the need for a visa or work permit, as part of their domestic immigration regimes. Therefore, UK cultural professionals, including musicians, seeking to perform within the EU will be required to check domestic immigration and visitor rules for each Member State in which they intend to perform.
We have published guidance on GOV.UK, signposting to official information provided by EU countries about their business travel routes, which is regularly updated. We are also undertaking an extensive programme of engagement with the sectors to help them understand these new requirements.