U.K. government says it will allow brief, visa- and permit-free tours by British performers to EU countries; details TBA

“Trade bodies and unions representing British musicians have expressed frustration at a government announcement on European work visas that they say changes nothing,” writes Mark Brown in Thursday’s (8/5) Guardian (U.K.). “Musicians and performers continue to accuse the government of ignoring their plight by failing to negotiate any Brexit deal that would reinstate the previous visa-free working arrangements. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) this week released a statement headlined: ‘Visa-free short-term touring allowed in 19 member states.’ … Horace Trubridge, the general secretary of the Musicians’ Union, [said] the announcement [confirmed] arrangements that already existed…. Paul W Fleming, the general secretary of the union Equity, … said it was still waiting on a country-by-country breakdown of different work permit regimes as well as ‘proper definitions of short-term touring, and the implications on carnets and cabotage for small-scale productions.’ … The DCMS statement … said visas or work permits for short-term tours were not needed in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden. It said the government was actively engaging with the eight remaining countries that did not allow visa- and permit-free touring.”