The House of Lords’ European Affairs Committee has published its latest report on the relationship between the UK and EU. Based on a year-long inquiry by the committee, The future UK-EU relationship 4th report emphasises the need to resolve post-Brexit mobility issues for touring creatives.

The report calls for the UK and EU to rebuild trust in the wake of the more positive relationship established by the Windsor Framework negotiations. One of the four themes of the inquiry was the mobility of people, including creative professionals, and the committee heard evidence from ISM Chief Executive Deborah Annetts, who told them that ‘musicians are telling us that it is simply economically not viable to tour into the EU anymore.’ The inquiry found several areas of concern, including lack of government engagement with creative professionals, inaccurate government guidance and regulations that make it too complicated or expensive for many creative professionals to work in the EU.

Describing the complexity of the post-Brexit regulations as ‘a significant barrier to mobility’, the report expresses frustration with the government’s inaction on this issue: ‘We are disappointed that very little progress has been made in addressing the challenges faced by creative professionals wishing to work and tour in the EU, despite the Government having been aware of these problems for a considerable period of time.’

The report’s recommendations urge the government to raise concerns about mobility arrangements for creatives with the EU as a priority. It also calls for the government to improve the clarity of its guidance for professionals working in the EU and ensure this guidance is dynamically updated.

Responding to the report, Deborah Annetts said, ‘We are delighted that this report raises the issues affecting so many musicians touring the EU after Brexit. As we told the inquiry, post-Brexit arrangements have been an unmitigated disaster for musicians and it is high time the government took action to resolve them.

'We will be writing to the government to highlight the report’s findings.’