Recommendation 37

HM Government · verbatim extract Accepted

Supporting touring artists remains a top priority for this Government, as recognised in our manifesto. We remain committed to making progress and exploring how best to support cultural exchange and improve arrangements for touring across the European continent with the EU and Member States, within the existing UK-EU frameworks. We closely monitor the impact of current arrangements on the ability of UK performers and their crews to work and tour in Europe, including the additional time, cost and complexity involved in securing visas and permits and transporting equipment and goods between the UK and EU. Our priorities have been reflected in recent ministerial and official-level engagement and align with the shared commitment at the UK-EU Summit to support travel and cultural exchange. The inaugural UK-EU Commission High-Level Meeting on Culture, between the Minister of State for Creative Industries, Media and Tourism, Ian Murray MP, and Commissioner Micallef marked a significant step forward in this space and reflected a shared recognition of the challenges and common priorities in our cultural and creative sectors, including artists’ working conditions. We understand that barriers remain, reflecting the cumulative impact of operating across multiple systems, regulatory frameworks and requirements. The Government engages closely with industry, including the Cultural Exchange Coalition and wider sector bodies, to inform our approach. We are also working with international partners to reduce administrative burdens where possible, an example of this being our leading role in the digitalisation of ATA carnets which aims to reduce administrative burdens and simplify processes for users, such as touring artists. We will continue to explore the most effective ways that UK artists can continue to thrive on the global stage.