Was just wondering if anyone here has any recent experience of travelling to the EU/Europe for a gig?
My function band’s been offered a wedding gig in Switzerland next March. Band mates are keen to do it as it’s a friends wedding and they fancy a weekend away in the Alps, but I imagine since Brexit that it might be far more hassle than it’s worth..
I’ve played in Europe before, but that was a few years ago, pre leaving the EU. Back then we didn’t have to worry about visas, work permits, carnets or CITES. I’ve checked the gov.uk and MU websites but the guidance is pretty vague. Does anyone know the current situation regarding all this? Any advice much appreciated.
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The biggest hassle is travelling with guitars,pedalboards, drums etc - if you can go digital it will be a lot simpler
I'm not a violent person but I still want to kick seven shades of shit out of Farage and Cameron.
However, the MU have been pushing for fair travel for Musicians between UK and EU since the shit hit the fan. The threat of not being able to work in Eurooe is not as bad as it seems.
However, I still want to kick seven shades of shit out of Farage and Cameron.
Most of my Facebook time is in groups about travelling into the EU and a lot of questions about the post Brexit regulations on pets (we now have the crap AHC system rather than the EU pet passport scheme) and the rules about not taking meat and dairy in. They do check re pets but the meat thing seems mostly ignored. Very occasionally you hear of someone who has been made an example of. But otherwise everyone gets checked for people smuggling. I suspect they just have better things to do than check musician's carnets.
If you're taking anything beyond instruments (mixer, PA, lights, IEMs, etc) you'll need a carnet for your equipment. Even pre-Brexit you needed this for Switzerland as it's not in the customs union. The carnet is a temporary import/export document - essentially a passport for your gear that allows it to cross a customs border without you paying import duties and local taxes. You're looking at at least £500 to get one produced. You also have the responsibility to make sure it's completed correctly at each border, or you can get in to all sorts of bother. You have to fill it out correctly and get it stamped at a customs facility for export before crossing a border, and then immediately stamped for import on the other side.
If you were driving UK > Switzerland with a carnet for your equipment, you'd need to get it stamped at the following places:
- At a UK customs facility (usually Sevington) for export from the UK
- Calais for import to the EU
- EU side of the Swiss border for export from EU
- Swiss side of the border for import to Switzerland
- all of this in reverse on the way back
If the person or business entity paying you is based in Switzerland too, you may also need an A1 form from the UK Government for each person travelling to work/perform, otherwise your earnings can be subject to a withholding tax by local authorities in the country in which you're working.