In an article written for Huffington Post, Dugher outlines the complications that may arise for British musicians as a result of Brexit. He cites likely new rules that would restrict movement between countries as potentially having a ‘serious impact on touring musicians and crews’ which will ‘risk limiting millions of fans keen to see their favourite UK acts’.
“When it comes to our music industry, we need a reciprocal system that supports temporary short-term permissions and exemptions for musicians and crews – both for those coming to the UK and those performing in the EU – to keep our touring industry vibrant and thriving,” he said.
To rectify this issue, Dugher suggests an ‘EU-wide live music touring passport’ for those in the music industry. “This new passport would be a vital asset in keeping UK music on the road across the world, showing off our cultural talent and continuing to support exports,” he said.
“As EU negotiator Michel Barnier said, the clock is well and truly ticking on the countdown to Brexit Day on 29 March 2019. Brexit represents a huge potential threat to the British music industry. We can’t afford to mess this up.”
