I work in International Trade Compliance and enjoy watching live music. Is there an obvious link between the two? Possibly, if you think about it.

If a band goes on tour, there will be instruments, lighting and sound equipment that will need to move from venue to venue. If a UK Tour is announced, this will require the unloading and loading of equipment, as the tour moves from venue to venue. Roadies, or the band themselves, could undertake this process.

If the tour branches into the EU, the artist will have a chance to play to a wider audience, sell more tickets and hopefully sell more cd’s, vinyl records and merchandise.

But, as with EU Trade for businesses, selling goods for music acts venturing outside the UK, the EU is waiting, but with stipulations.

The UK Tour might end in London, but why not continue to France for two nights in Paris? International Trade would require export customs declarations, with an import declaration with duty, VAT and EORIs needed both in the UK and in France.

For a touring band to visit France today, a Carnet will be required. Recently a band tweeted “so is it important to include all serial numbers for equipment when getting a Carnet for the EU? Our pedal boxes are long gone! Do they literally check everyone’s individual pedals in the cases and check the serial numbers? “Oh Dear” Brexit”

To confirm this is likely to refer to guitar effects pedals. A ‘Wah’ pedal and a ‘Distortion’ pedal are two possibilities.   

This statement wasn’t made by Coldplay or the Rolling Stones. If you can fill a stadium, you can probably delegate your Carnet application. There are hundreds of bands touring every week playing much smaller venues than Wembley. These acts are likely to be involved directly in the Carnet application. Who else would know the serial number of their Wah pedal?       

Is it important to include all the serial numbers on a Carnet? Yes, if the information is available, it identifies the equipment to Customs.

Do Customs check everyone’s individual pedals and check the serial numbers? Yes, Customs could make these checks.

Do customs plug in a guitar and use the pedals to play a song before letting the band proceed? This cannot be confirmed. 

A Carnet might not be a new experience, if a UK band is touring the United States or a destination outside the EU that is a member of the Carnet Scheme. Historically, it is likely that EU dates will be added to a UK tour. With the requirements of a Carnet, an EU Tour is possible, but the costs and complexity have increased.

The same considerations would need to be considered if a US band is visiting the EU for a tour and wanted to add some UK concerts. Their carnet would need to add the United Kingdom as a separate destination, where previously the ‘European Union’ would apply.     

International Trade and Live Music. There is a link, and a Carnet is now part of the touring requirements beyond the United Kingdom.

Keep music live and be Carnet compliant.