Arts: Visas

(asked on 27th January 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to negotiate a separate standard visa-waiver arrangement with the EU that would include exemptions for artists.


Answered by
Baroness Barran Portrait
Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This question was answered on 9th February 2021

In negotiations, the EU tabled a proposal for a permanent visa waiver for short stays covering UK and EU nationals. This drew on bilateral agreements they have with some other third countries, such as Columbia, Peru and the UAE. Accepting a permanent short stay visa waiver for all current and future EU Member States was not, and is not, compatible with our manifesto commitment to take back control of our borders.

This proposal was accompanied by a Joint Declaration intended to direct those Member States who currently require short stay visas for “paid activities” to waive that requirement for “artists performing an activity on an ad-hoc basis”. This offer would not have addressed the creative and cultural industries’ concerns. It did not include touring but only ‘ad hoc’ performances, did not cover accompanying support and technical staff and did not deal with the issue of work permits at all.

On the other hand, our proposals, which were developed with input from the creative and cultural sectors, would have allowed artists to tour in the UK and the EU more easily. The UK proposed to capture the work done by musicians, artists and entertainers, and their accompanying staff, through the list of permitted activities for short-term business visitors under the Mode 4 Chapter of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. This would have enabled musicians and other creative professionals to travel and perform in the UK and the EU without needing work-permits, for up to 90 days in any 6 month period. Regrettably, these proposals were repeatedly rejected by the EU.

The Government recognises the importance of touring for our world-leading cultural and creative sectors. We are establishing a Working Group, with sector representatives and government departments, with a view to assisting those in the cultural and creative sectors to work as confidently as possible in the EU.

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