A pragmatic plan to get UK touring working again.

Dear Prime Minister

A pragmatic plan to get UK touring working again

Congratulations on becoming Prime Minister. We look forward to a new direction and a rewiring of our relationship with the EU in order to allow touring artists, creatives and professionals the freedom to work.

We believe there is a unique opportunity for you to move fast to unlock the unnecessary barriers caused by the failure to exempt touring in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). There is a simple solution which would be popular and deliver your Government an early and highly visible success. We believe our proposition would make an immediate difference to thousands of people working across one of the UK's most successful export sectors.

For too long, Britain's touring professionals have carried the burden of one of Brexit's most damaging unintended consequences. The 90-day-in-180 rule has made it so hard for musicians, performers, technicians, production crews and creative freelancers to work across Europe, costing jobs, reducing exports and limiting opportunities for the next generation of British talent.

This is no longer simply a cultural issue. It is a growth issue.

The UK's creative industries are among our greatest economic assets, generating well over £100 billion for the economy and supporting millions of jobs. Yet one of our most internationally successful sectors continues to face unnecessary barriers that could be easily addressed through practical cooperation.

The good news is that there is a simple solution.

Rather than reopening the TCA, the Government could work with EU partners to introduce a Digital Creative Mobility Exemption, building on the existing HMRC A1 certificate system already necessary and used by touring professionals. A simple digital verification would identify eligible creative workers undertaking approved cultural engagements, allowing this work to be exempt from the 90-in-180-day rule.

This provides you with a pragmatic administrative solution, not a political renegotiation.

No major new bureaucracy. No complex legislation. Simply a smarter use of systems that already exist.

Carry On Touring has championed practical solutions since 2019, representing not only musicians but everyone who makes live performance possible — from stage crews and sound engineers to production teams, performers and freelancers across the UK's creative economy. Our campaign has attracted support from across Parliament because this is not a partisan issue. It is about removing barriers to growth, protecting jobs and ensuring Britain remains a world-leading creative nation.

With the introduction of the EU Entry/Exit System and ETIAS, the need to get touring working again is even more urgent. Delay will only make touring more difficult and further weaken one of the UK's strongest export and growth sectors.

We believe this presents an opportunity for your administration to demonstrate what modern government can achieve: solving real-world problems through practical, collaborative reform.

We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you, Minister Hamish Falconer MP, and other relevant ministers and parliamentarians from across both Houses to discuss how this proposal could be taken forward without delay. We are also hoping to hold a UK-EU Creative Mobility Summit in Parliament this Autumn and would be delighted to work with you to bring representatives and supporters from across Europe and the UK together.

This is a genuine opportunity for your Government to secure a popular and quick win for growth, jobs and Britain's international reputation.

We hope you will work with us to help Britain carry on touring once again.