Elton John requests meeting with PM over post-Brexit touring rules

September 17, 2021

Sir Elton John said he has requested a meeting with Boris Johnson and is “on the warpath” over visa issues for musicians touring in the European Union.
The singer said it is ‘financially impossible’ for burgeoning British talent to tour in the European Union

New rules which came into force at the beginning of the year do not guarantee visa-free travel for musicians in the bloc and have prompted fears that touring artists will incur large fees in many of the countries they visit.
In August, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said it had negotiated with 19 EU countries to allow British musicians and performers to conduct short tours without the need for a visa, but this was condemned by Sir Elton as a “rehash of what we already know”.

Speaking during his Rocket Hour show on Apple Music 1, Elton John claimed the Prime Minister has yet to respond to his appeal for a meeting.

Sir Elton John said: “The Rocket Hour has a special theme this week. Every artist that I’m going to play is a young British artist who at the moment is not able to tour because of what happened with the Brexit situation.

“What has happened is that it’s impossible for young artists financially to pay for visas, negotiate their way through all of the red tape that’s necessary for going to Europe.

Closing his show, Sir Elton promised “to continue to try and fight for this because it’s a desperate thing that’s holding young artists back”.

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