The deal’s finally done! The Trade and Cooperation Agreement has finally completed on Dec 24th everything is now sorted, we know exactly where the UK stands with European travel and work…

Well, sort of but as always with the EU there are lots of review options down the line.

Things are not all completely cut and dried and there is a lot of ambiguity. For 1000 pages long the document is missing A LOT of detail

But hey, at least we have the fish?

A fish doing what can only be described as flopping.

Is there anything in the agreement that affects me working in Europe?

The big questions for UK musicians and other creatives wanting to work in the EU is- Is there anything in the agreement that affects me working in Europe? The short answer is- Not much.

The agreement is mainly concerned with the movement of goods and services between the UK and EU and doesn’t have much to say about visas and work permits. The hoped-for provision for a dedicated clear permit free route for UK performers and their crews to operate in the EU was not there.

However, in Article VSTV.1; It states; ‘both parties provide for visa-free travel for short-term visits... in accordance with their domestic law’ But it goes on to say that if either side does intend to impose such a visa requirement, they will tell each other about it in plenty of time! So nothing is going to change in the immediate future for visa requirements. Chapter 4 of the agreement deals with and makes provisions for business visitors to enter without permit providing ‘ short term business visitors are not engaged in…supplying services to the general public’ So this would seem to preclude any paid activity

Also there is no mention of artists or performers in the list of permitted independent professionals in Annex Servin-4

How does the new Agreement affect trucking?

Movement of equipment is another concern; The document describes the use of the carnet system for the temporary import and export of instruments and technical equipment. This is extra work and cost and may seem daunting, once you’ve done the equipment list once it doesn’t have to be done again. Whilst inconvenient is not something most touring companies will have seen before. This is of course something we can help with.

A worry was that the UK would not be able to deal with EU carnets for incoming tours but this seems to have been allayed by Article 16 (3) which states; ‘ Each party shall…accept a carnet …issued by the other party’. So bringing trucks into the UK on a previously unseen EU carnet is possible.

The new regulations on driving would seem to make larger-scale touring involving trucking of equipment around Europe much more difficult.

Article Road.4 p 3 & 6 state that UK based trucks will only be able to undertake 2 laden journeys in the EU before returning to the UK. This seems to mean that the new legislation allows for only two stops in Europe without returning to the UK. For example, if you were to go from London to Paris for a show, then the second show in Bordeaux the trucks would need to return to the UK before another stop in the EU.

Overall the document seems to have completely bypassed and ignored the needs of the music touring industry in particular and the creative industries in general. The omission of any specific regulation, whether inadvertent or not, adds to the cost, complexity and uncertainty of future activity in the EU.

We will be following up with new blogs on;

Going to the EU from the UK

Coming to the UK from the EU

A country by country by country update of local regulations.

Stay tuned for updates from you favourite immigration professionals!

If you have any specific questions or would just like a moan please give us a call on +44 1473 892660 or email hello@vivalavisa.co.uk

Brexit Trade deal; How does it affect touring musicians and the creative industries in general?