The music industry welcomes the Spanish government’s cancellation of visa requirements for short-term tours of British artists.
UK Music stated that this move means that musicians and their staff will no longer require an event visa of less than 90 days, which is a “major victory”. The organization described visa requirements as “expensive and bureaucratic obstacles that threaten the industry’s talent pipeline.”
British Music CEO Jamie Njoku-Goodwin welcomed the news, but said that problems still exist, including coastal transportation-foreign operators transporting goods or passengers between two places in the same country.
“The removal of visa restrictions by the Spanish government is a very welcome move,” he said. “However, it is important to remember that major problems still exist, especially coastal issues, which make many trips impossible.
“We will continue to put pressure on the governments and EU countries here to remove all the costly and bureaucratic restrictions that still exist when visiting the EU.”
He added: “Musicians and staff can freely tour, expand their fan base and share the best British music in Europe and the rest of the world, which is vital to our economy and exports.”
Culture Minister Nadine Dorries said the decision was “really good news”. “We have been working closely with the Spanish government to make the tour easier-they just confirmed that musicians no longer need visas for short-term tours,” she said. “There are now 21 member states offering visa-free and permit-free routes for touring performers. There are six more.”
