MPs have backed a call by the Federation of Entertainment Unions for special travel rights for media and creative workers so they can continue to work across borders after Brexit.

The motion states that the failure of the UK government and EU to agree to such a deal has severely hampered the ability of creatives in the arts and journalists to continue to carry out business and collaboration with EU states without having to get visa for each country.

It adds that media organisations need the capacity to react quickly when news and investigative stories break and ought not get bogged-down with costly or time-consuming bureaucracy.

Noting the devastating impact of the pandemic on the creative industries, the group – of which the National Union of Journalists is a member – also calls for the government to reverse its decision to scrap its £12m funding of England’s Union Learning Fund which offers opportunities for freelances to have access to free training, professional development and acquire business skills.

An Early Day Motion (EDM) has been tabled by Labour MP Graeme Morris with the support of forty MPs including leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey MP and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell MP.

Those interested in raising support for the EDM should contact their MP via the Write to Them website.

The EDM 1404, titled Travel rights for workers in the media and creative industries, reads in full:

That this House is deeply disturbed to hear that proposals made during the Brexit negotiations which would have offered special travel rights for the creative workforce represented by the Federation of Entertainment Unions (FEU) were turned down; notes that the creative industries are one of the fastest-growing parts of the UK economy worth more than £111bn; believes that the arts and media do not exist within borders and the lack of an agreement on this matter will severely hamper the ability of creatives to continue to carry out business and collaboration with EU states; further notes that the creative industries have been devastated by the pandemic and the understands that failure to agree a deal that would have played an important role in revitalising the arts is therefore a major blow; appreciates that media organisations need the capacity to react quickly when following news and investigative stories and not get bogged down with costly or time-consuming bureaucracy; joins the FEU in in asking the UK government to review its position, and also supports their call for the government to reverse its decision to scrap its £12m funding of England’s Union Learning Fund which supports more 200,000 learners in workplaces across England and importantly offers one of the very few opportunities for freelances to have access to free training, professional development and acquire business skills.