Live music industry umbrella body Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment (LIVE) said it has accepted a Government invitation to join its UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement Domestic Advisory Group (DAG).

The move will see LIVE collectively represent the entire entertainment and cultural industries on the DAG, and provide it an opportunity to emphasise the impact of Brexit on the live music and events industry.

The DAG is a consultative body that has been set by the Government in order for it to hear from representatives of the industries most affected by the agreed terms of the Brexit deal, including the energy, retail and food industries.

LIVE has secured significant changes in regulation from the EU and UK Governments via its Touring Group, headed by Marshall Arts promoter Craig Stanley. They include the removal of costly visas to tour across Spain and securing a temporary mechanism that reduces restrictive cabotage regulations limiting the movement of touring trucks (P. 31).

The UK is currently the second biggest exporter of music in the world and Europe is its closest and most important international market. Under new rules created post-Brexit, European touring has become more expensive, more complicated, and more difficult to execute. This is especially true for smaller artists and newly established companies.

Stanley said, “Brexit created a real threat to the way our world-leading sector operated. Frictionless movement and trade are core to European touring, so to protect our sector we have worked tirelessly to find effective and rapid solutions to our problems.

“Our appointment to the DAG is another major step in protecting our industry and creating an environment where we can continue to nurture young talent and provide them with the opportunities needed to build successful careers.”

LIVE said its immediate priority will be raising the outstanding issues facing the live entertainment sectors which include:

• The need for non-onerous, zero- or low-cost work and travel reciprocal arrangements for musicians and other industry professionals across all EU member states, especially those such as Croatia which still have complex processes for visas.
• The introduction of tailored bridging support and special measures to allow for own account vehicles and smaller haulage operators to tour Europe without the need to establish EU operating bases.
• The introduction of immediate financial support for the industries to mitigate the disruption caused by Brexit through a Transitional Support Package.

‍