The Musicians’ Union is calling on Government and Parliament to back a Musicians' Passport for musicians working in the EU post-Brexit.

Please sign the petition to show your support.

The Musicians' Passport must: 

• Last a minimum of two years
• Be free or cheap
• Cover all EU member states
• Get rid of the need for carnets and other permits
• Cover road crew, technicians and other staff necessary for musicians to do their job

Most musicians and performers rely on touring and performing in the European Union to make a living.  

Musicians, and other creative and cultural workers, are a distinct workforce with specific needs. Visa and customs rules post-Brexit need to account for that. 

The Musicians' Passport must be affordable, multi-entry and admin-light.   

Placing costly and resource heavy barriers to that could have a severe impact on working and aspiring musicians – as well as the broader UK music industry.

Musicians already have experience with difficult visa systems. It can cost thousands to take a band to the United States, and the cost of fast-track visa processing fees have just gone up 15%. Musicians have voiced their fears that something similar might happen with the European Union, to devastating effect.

The Musicians' Passport should cover all EU member states.   

Musicians visit multiple countries on tour, often jumping across borders on a daily basis, often with very little notice.  

If every musician has to get a visa and carnet for every country they visit, it will make any work in Europe impossible to schedule regardless of whether they are an emerging band or a world-renowned orchestra. 

The lack of clarity on the future of musicians working in the EU is already having an impact.  

MU members are already moving to Europe because they are worried about their future work; to get jobs, to make sure they can get work later, to travel, and to collaborate. 

It’s also about who we are   

“Music and the performing arts rely on exchange of ideas and interaction between performers of different nationalities. We love working in the EU and we love artists coming over here. If musicians can't travel easily both ways, our reputation as a country that embraces all arts and culture will be severely damaged. Our members' ability to earn a living will also be severely affected” – Horace Trubridge, MU General Secretary and founder member of Darts

Let touring musicians travel

Protect the music you love. Sign the petition for a Musicians' Passport.