Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Guidance on working, performing, and touring in Europe, if his Department will publish the sources of information used to support the guidance on visa/work permits.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
This government recognises the importance of the UK’s creative and cultural industries, not only to the economy and international reputation of the United Kingdom, but also to the wellbeing and enrichment of its people. We want musicians and performers to be able to tour abroad easily.
In order to support this, our focus is now on bilateral engagement with Member States, who are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in the EU. This is why we have spoken to every Member State. From those extensive discussions,19 out of 27 Member States have confirmed that UK musicians and performers do not require visas or work permits for some short term touring. Travellers should always check what requirements they need to fulfil with the EU Member State they are travelling to, and that is why we are working closely with Member States to ensure their guidance is clear and accessible.
We have also developed sector specific ‘landing pages’ for GOV.UK, aimed at the creative sectors, which will allow cultural and creative professionals to easily locate and access guidance that is relevant to them. From these pages, general business traveller summaries can be accessed, which provide enhanced guidance on EU Member State immigration systems for GOV.UK, and include sector-specific rules that feature on Member State websites.
We are now actively engaging with those remaining EU Member States that do not allow visas or work permit free touring, and calling on them to align their arrangements with the UK’s generous rules, which allow creative professionals to tour here easily. Formal approaches have been made, DCMS ministers will be actively involved, and we are working closely 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 as 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.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2021 to Question 180913 on Music: Exports, which member states has his Department produced updated guidance on to help artists understand what is required for working and touring in different EU countries.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We have moved at pace and with urgency to provide much greater clarity about the current position.
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.
We have published guidance on GOV.UK, including updated travel advice for travelling to the EU, and we continue to enhance business traveller guidance, setting out the visa and work permit requirements for each Member State. We have also published sector specific ‘landing pages’ on gov.uk for the creative and cultural sectors to help them navigate the guidance available. We are also engaging regularly with our embassies to support UK nationals abroad, including encouraging Member States to ensure their guidance is accessible and clear as possible.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2021 to Question 186125 on Musicians: EU Countries and with reference to his evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on 13 May 2021, which EU member states have Ministers from his Department had meetings with on touring rights for UK and EU musicians.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
I have met with Heads of Mission to enlist their support, and Embassies have now had discussions with every Member State.
We have established 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. And we are now working closely with individual Member States 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. As part of this, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and I, are speaking to our ministerial counterparts in a number of key Member States about the importance of touring.
We have already raised the importance of touring during bilateral meetings with ministerial counterparts in Portugal, Austria and the Netherlands as well as the Belgian and Slovenian ambassadors to the UK. We are also arranging conversations with counterparts in other key member states such as Spain, Italy, France and Germany.
As conversations are ongoing, it would not be appropriate to share details of these discussions at this time.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 28 April 2021 to Question 186125 on Musicians: EU Countries, whether (a) his Department has concluded its work on an engagement strategy with EU member states and (b) he plans to publish that strategy.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
I have met with Heads of Mission to enlist their support, and Embassies have now had discussions with every Member State.
We have established 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. And we are now working closely with individual Member States 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. As part of this, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and I, are speaking to our ministerial counterparts in a number of key Member States about the importance of touring.
We have already raised the importance of touring during bilateral meetings with ministerial counterparts in Portugal, Austria and the Netherlands as well as the Belgian and Slovenian ambassadors to the UK. We are also arranging conversations with counterparts in other key member states such as Spain, Italy, France and Germany.
As conversations are ongoing, it would not be appropriate to share details of these discussions at this time.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 April 2021 to Question 178768, which Ministers have spoken to which heads of missions in EU countries on reciprocal touring rights for musicians; and whether he plans to report on the progress of bilateral negotiations on that matter.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
DCMS is working closely with the FCDO and other departments on our engagement strategy with EU member states regarding touring issues. As part of this, DCMS Ministers are speaking to our Heads of Mission in EU Member States, and as part of the process they will also be speaking to Member States directly in support of FCDO engagement.
As conversations are ongoing, it is not appropriate to share details at this time.
The UK has significantly more generous arrangements for touring professionals than many Member States, and should Member States be willing to change their rules to match ours we will have those discussions and encourage them to do so.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on the development of a music export office.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Government is committed to supporting our world-leading creative industries and to help them to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
We are working urgently across government and with the industry, including through the DCMS-led working group, on plans to support the creative sectors to work and tour in Europe and further afield. This includes looking carefully, in partnership with the Department for International Trade, at proposals for a new Cultural Export Office that could provide practical help and advice. We will provide further information in due course
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to create a music touring fund to support UK musicians touring in the EU until reciprocal visa and permit-free touring rights have been negotiated.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Government recognises the world-leading position of the UK performing arts sector and the rich breadth of artistic talent across the UK.
We understand the sector’s concerns about the new arrangements since leaving the EU and we are committed to supporting them as they get to grips with the changes to systems and processes.
We are now working urgently across government and in collaboration with the creative and cultural sectors, including through the DCMS-led working group, on plans to support them to tour in Europe. 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. This includes producing new guidance to help artists understand what's required in different countries, and looking carefully at proposals for a new Export Office that could provide further practical help. We will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has plans to establish a Music Export Office.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We're working urgently across government and with the industry, including through the DCMS-led working group, on plans to support the creative sectors tour in Europe. This includes producing new guidance to help artists understand what's required in different countries, and looking carefully at proposals for a new Export Office that could provide further practical help.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on negotiating exemptions for musical instruments and equipment related to touring from carnet and CITES requirements within the EU.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Government recognises the importance of touring to the creative and cultural sectors, and is committed to helping them navigate the new rules under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
The UK pressed for a special derogation from the cabotage restrictions for hauliers carrying equipment for the purpose of concert tours and similar activities. The EU rejected this. DCMS and the Department of Transport are working with the industry to understand the implications of the new rules and discuss options for support.
With regards to carnet and CITES requirements, the management of EU import and export procedures is the responsibility of the customs authorities of the Member States, so it is important that individuals or businesses confirm the processes at their port of arrival and any conditions or procedures that may apply. However, it is worth noting that a carnet is not required for musicians with accompanied instruments (carried or taken with the individual in personal baggage or a vehicle) travelling between Great Britain and the EU. If not accompanied (carried as freight) then customs formalities (through a declaration or use of a carnet) will be required.
Officials in the Border and Protocol Delivery Group (BPDG) are engaging with custom authorities as needed if issues arise. DCMS will work with BPDG and the sector to address issues facing musicians.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on negotiating a cultural exemption to cabotage rules for music tours in the EU.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Government recognises the importance of touring to the creative and cultural sectors, and is committed to helping them navigate the new rules under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
The UK pressed for a special derogation from the cabotage restrictions for hauliers carrying equipment for the purpose of concert tours and similar activities. The EU rejected this. DCMS and the Department of Transport are working with the industry to understand the implications of the new rules and discuss options for support.
With regards to carnet and CITES requirements, the management of EU import and export procedures is the responsibility of the customs authorities of the Member States, so it is important that individuals or businesses confirm the processes at their port of arrival and any conditions or procedures that may apply. However, it is worth noting that a carnet is not required for musicians with accompanied instruments (carried or taken with the individual in personal baggage or a vehicle) travelling between Great Britain and the EU. If not accompanied (carried as freight) then customs formalities (through a declaration or use of a carnet) will be required.
Officials in the Border and Protocol Delivery Group (BPDG) are engaging with custom authorities as needed if issues arise. DCMS will work with BPDG and the sector to address issues facing musicians.