Britain's vote to leave the EU will be 'bad news for musicians,' says Musicians' Union

The Musicians' Union (MU), which represents over 30,000 professionals working across all sectors of the music business throughout the United Kingdom, has issued a statement on its website in response to Britain's 23 June referendum decision to leave the European Union.

General Secretary John Smith describes 'serious concerns about what the future holds for our members'.

He goes on to say: 'We suspect that this will be very bad news for musicians. Over the years MU members have benefited from open borders, a protective copyright regime and various directives which directly benefit them in their workplaces. We will no longer be able to jointly campaign with our former EU colleagues, nor will we be able to take part in the EU social dialogue committees on live performance and audio-visual. We must prepare for the introduction of border controls with the possibility of work permits and/or travel visas for musicians working in Europe. My initial reaction is one of profound depression, we will certainly have to be vigilant over the next crucial few months.'

The statement continues: 'We would like to reassure all MU members that we will continue to monitor this fast moving situation and that we will release further statements as information becomes available. It is important to remember that negotiations to leave the EU are going to be long and protracted and there should therefore be no immediate change in conditions or travel for musicians. We will ensure that we continue to represent our members’ interests every step of the way.'

Read: Association of British Orchestras warns of 'challenges ahead' following Brexit