IMPALA and 550+ organisations call on UK and EU leaders to fix broken post-Brexit systems
Music Industry Demands Touring Reform. That’s the message from more than 550 organisations across the UK and EU music sectors ahead of the UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025. The joint open letter — signed by a coalition of independent labels, orchestras, touring companies, artist unions, venues, and advocacy bodies — urges political leaders to dismantle the complex red tape stifling cross-border live music.
The initiative, coordinated by the Musicians’ Union, Association of British Orchestras. LIVE (Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment). Pearle* (Live Performance Europe). the Independent Society of Musicians, and UK Music. Have been officially backed by IMPALA (Independent Music Companies Association). Representing the independent music sector across Europe.
IMPALA – the Independent Music Companies Association
The letter, addressed to UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, European Council President António Costa, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, outlines a growing crisis: touring, once the lifeblood of music culture and a critical income source for artists, has become unviable for many due to mounting logistical, financial, and legal hurdles introduced in the wake of Brexit.
Barriers That Break Bands
Since the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, musicians and live crews have faced a host of challenges when attempting to tour across Europe. These include costly and inconsistent visa requirements, limited cabotage allowances restricting transport of equipment, and complex customs regulations for merchandise and instruments.
While some bilateral agreements have been struck on a country-by-country basis. The overall framework remains fractured and unpredictable — especially for mid-tier and emerging artists. For many, the dream of a European tour has become financially impossible.
“Pre-Brexit, a van tour across Europe was complicated, but possible,” says a UK-based tour manager who spoke with stndby.tv anonymously. “Now it’s a nightmare of paperwork, permits, fees, and stress. For a lot of acts, especially smaller ones, it’s just not worth it.”
The Cost to Culture
The implications extend far beyond artist income. Festivals and venues across Europe have reported a sharp drop in UK acts appearing on lineups. Meanwhile, EU-based musicians face similarly obstructive conditions when trying to enter the UK.
This decline in cross-border touring isn’t just a business concern — it’s a cultural loss. Live music is a core part of European identity, fostering exchange, innovation, and community across borders. Without a streamlined system, music culture becomes more insular and less collaborative.
“Brexit shouldn’t mean isolation,” says Shain Shapiro, founder of Sound Diplomacy and author of This Must Be The Place. “Music is one of the few universal languages — when governments restrict its flow, it’s not just artists who lose. Audiences, local economies, and the broader creative ecosystem suffer too.”
What the Letter Demands for The Music Industry
The joint letter isn’t just a protest — it offers a roadmap. It calls for:
✅ A clear and streamlined visa and work permit system across the UK and EU
✅ Improved cabotage allowances to ensure touring trucks and buses can operate across multiple countries
✅ Simplified customs arrangements for instruments, technical gear, and merchandise
✅ Bilateral and multilateral agreements between the UK and EU member states that prioritise the live performance sector
The organisations behind the letter stress that these measures are not just “nice to have” — they are essential if Europe wants to maintain its position as a global leader in music and creative arts.
Political Will Needed
While there have been gestures of support from individual ministers and MEPs on both sides, progress has been slow. Artists and crews say they are tired of waiting for meaningful change while tour plans are cancelled and opportunities lost.
“There’s a disconnect,” says a representative from LIVE. “Policymakers talk about supporting culture. But on the ground, artists are being priced out of their own careers. This open letter is about turning words into action.”
Why It Matters Now
The timing of the letter — just days before the UK-EU Summit — is strategic. Campaigners are using the summit as a chance to get music back on the political agenda. As the first major UK-EU cultural flashpoint since Brexit negotiations wrapped. The event is a vital opportunity to influence long-term policy.
It also lands in the context of wider tensions around post-Brexit trade, border controls, and creative industries struggling to regain footing after COVID-19 shutdowns.
For IMPALA, which represents over 6,000 music companies across Europe, the issue goes beyond individual artists or gigs — it’s about defending the infrastructure of one of Europe’s most dynamic industries.
Stories From the Ground
At stndby.tv, we’ve covered countless tour announcements, festival sets, and live debuts — but what doesn’t make the headlines are the shows that never happen. In 2023 alone, several mid-level UK artists quietly cancelled European tours citing prohibitive costs and logistical chaos.
One artist, had been booked for a six-date German run in 2024 told us. “We spent months planning it. Once we realised we’d need over £6,000 in permits, paperwork, and extra crew just to make it legal, we scrapped it. It wasn’t even close to worth it.”
In survey data from the Musicians’ Union. Which reports that over 75% of UK artists who previously toured Europe have scaled back or abandoned international plans altogether since Brexit.
Solutions Are Possible
Campaigners point to the fact that touring artists from other countries — including the US and Japan — have successfully secured workable agreements with EU nations. They argue there’s no reason why the UK shouldn’t be able to do the same.
The letter is also supported by Pearle*. Representing performing arts organisations from over 30 countries. Their joint voice adds weight to the call for a unified European response rather than a patchwork of national fixes.
“Touring shouldn’t be a luxury,” says Deborah Annetts, Chief Executive of the Independent Society of Musicians. “It’s a right that artists have earned through hard work and talent. Governments need to treat it as such.”
What Happens Next
As of now, it’s unclear whether the UK-EU Summit will include specific agenda items related to music and culture. But pressure is mounting. With IMPALA and hundreds of other signatories raising their voices in unison, the issue may be impossible to ignore.
The touring crisis could become a flashpoint for broader post-Brexit cultural relations. If the reforms can be passed. They would not only benefit musicians. But could set a precedent for how other creative industries operate internationally in a post-Brexit world.
Until then, artists, crews, and fans wait — many with van keys in hand, visas pending, and merch boxes sealed but undeliverable. The Music Industry Demands Touring Reform but we need it.
Keep Music Moving
The slogan “Keep Music Moving” has become more than a hashtag — it’s a call to action. For many in the industry, this letter represents the best shot yet at reclaiming the right to tour freely across borders.
Let’s hope the summit can deliver some results.
The music industry has stayed silent too long.
📄 Read the full letter via UK Music: https://www.ukmusic.org/news/uk-and-eu-music-industry-joint-letter-on-touring/
Try reading this article if you liked this one. Uk Music Venues in Decline
Credit for main picture IMPALA Open letter Camapaign
