Hauliers serving music concerts, sports and cultural events will be able to move their vehicles freely between Great Britain and the EU thanks to new measures for the haulage sector announced today (6 May 2022).

Designed in consultation with the live music, performing arts and sports sectors, the new dual registration measure is expected to come into force from late summer 2022. It will apply to specialist hauliers that transport equipment for cultural events, such as concert tours or sports events.

Dual registration will mean drivers with an established base in Great Britain and in another country outside of the UK will be able to transfer their vehicle between both operator licences without the need to change vehicles, have their journeys limited or pay VED in Great Britain. 

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: 

British talent has long been at the heart of global performing arts and our specialist haulage sector is critical to the success of their tours.

It is unacceptable that because of EU bureaucracy, the operations of our specialist haulage sector on which our artists rely have been put at risk, impacting the livelihoods of touring artists and sportspeople.  

Dual registration helps put this right and means that touring events can take place seamlessly across Great Britain, the EU and beyond, keeping our incredible cultural sector thriving for years to come.

Creative Industries Minister Julia Lopez said: 

Live events are at the heart of the entertainment and sports industries, giving fans and performers unique and memorable experiences.

I welcome this move, which will better enable Britain’s creative talent to grow their audiences, showcase their work abroad and make sure people across Europe have the chance to see many of their heroes on their doorstep.

Since the UK’s departure from the EU, British specialist hauliers have been limited to visiting just 3 EU stops per tour. However, under the new legislation, companies with operating bases in both Great Britain and another international location can switch vehicles between the respective operator licences and make use of the internal movements permitted within each territory.

This opportunity applies not just to the EU, but also to other countries, opening our doors to cultural exchange from all over the world.

We are continuing to work closely with our EU partners and the live music industry to ensure that smaller artists can continue to tour freely around the world.

Tarrant Anderson, Company Director of Vans for Bands, said:

We are really pleased that the Department for Transport has engaged in detail with our sector on this critical issue and has come up with a solution to keep the live music touring industry moving. Without this initiative a large number of tours this year would simply have been unable to take place.

Craig Stanley, Touring Group Chair, LIVE (the voice of the UK’s live music business), said:

We are delighted that our close work with government has paid off and welcome this move, which will allow European music tours to continue this summer.

We now look forward to working with government on options to permanently resolve this issue, such as the negotiation of an EU-wide cultural exemption.

The Government has today announced further steps to support farmers with cost pressures caused by demand and instability seen across the globe. Under the latest plans, Direct Payments in England will be paid in two instalments each year for the remainder of the agricultural transition period, to help farmers with their cashflow.

The deadline for submitting Basic Payment Scheme 2022 applications is Monday 16 May 2022 and, under these plans, farmers with eligible applications will receive the first payment of 50% from the end of July and the second from December.

With agricultural commodities closely linked to global gas prices, farmers are facing rising costs for inputs including manufactured fertiliser, feed, fuel and energy. Due to heightened worldwide demand as the global economy reawakened following Covid, by February the price of gas had quadrupled on the previous year, and with the instability caused by Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine that price has risen further.

Output prices, particularly wheat, are also high and from analysis published by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) it is clear that farmers should continue to buy their inputs as usual. The steps government is taking to bring forward payments will allow them to do so.

Environment Secretary, George Eustice, said:

While increasing farm gate prices may mean that farm profitability remains stable, we recognise the short term pressures on cash flow.

We have decided to bring forward half of this year’s BPS payment as an advance injection of cash to farm businesses from the end of this July. It will give farmers some additional cashflow earlier in order to provide some confidence. We will also make this a permanent change to the way we pay BPS in future with twice yearly instalments going forward.

In the days of the EU this would never have been possible due to the way audits worked and the need to enforce the three crop rule during the summer.

Rural Payments Agency Chief Executive Paul Caldwell said:

Bringing forward half of this year’s BPS payment from the end of July will be a welcome boost to cash flow for many farm businesses during uncertain times.

This is not just an opportunity to support farmers here and now through a cash injection. It’s a permanent change to bring Direct Payments in line with what will be a more regular payment system under the new environment land management schemes.

This builds on a package of measures to support farmers announced in March, including: a delay to changes to the use of urea fertiliser by at least a year; revised and improved statutory guidance on the Farming Rules for Water; slurry investment grants to help meet those rules; and further details of the Sustainable Farming Incentive which will reward farmers for manufacturing more organic-based fertiliser products.

Thank you Madam President. And before I start, may I thank you and others for your kind words towards me and my team, and wish you a successful Presidency.

On this subject, I would like to start by thanking the briefers for their statements, and I welcome the Secretary-General’s participation in this meeting.

On 4 April, the Russian Permanent Representative told the UN press corps that what was happening in Ukraine was “warfare” and that in “warfare, you cannot exclude that civilians are dying”.

The truth is, that it’s not just that civilians are dying in Russia’s illegal war of aggression, but that Russia is deliberately waging a war designed to terrorise and kill Ukrainian people.

Civilians have been executed and dismembered in Bucha and Irpin. No distinction has been drawn between military targets, hospitals, schools, or the Mariupol theatre – outside which “children” was clearly written, and where the latest reporting suggests that as many as 600 people were killed.

Russia’s actions are clear violations of international humanitarian law, including, but not limited to, resolutions 2286, 2417, and 2573.

Madam President, I’d like to make three points on the issue of protection of civilians in Ukraine:

The first, and clearest solution to end the suffering of civilians, is for Russia to end its illegal war and withdraw its troops from Ukraine. Unless it does so, civilians will continue to die. And, many millions more will be put at risk across the globe due to food and energy shortages, resulting from the invasion.

This is what the Secretary-General referred to as the limitless potential for global harm.

Second, while the invasion continues, international humanitarian law must be strictly observed, and full humanitarian access to civilians facilitated. We commend the Secretary-General and his team for the efforts that led to the evacuation to safety of about 500 civilians from the Azovstal works. But, it should be a matter of profound concern for this Council that humanitarian supplies were not allowed into the city, and that the shelling of the steelworks restarted immediately.

Third, we are deeply concerned that Russia’s war is accompanied by a propaganda campaign, including in this Council, designed to dehumanise and demonise Ukrainians by labelling them as neo-Nazis.

This hate speech is extremely dangerous. And, as we near the anniversary of the end of WWII, it disrespects the sacrifices of those Russians, Ukrainians and many other nationalities, who fought to end Nazism.

Finally Madam President, I want to assure you that the UK continues its help and support to Ukraine. And today we announced a further £45 million for humanitarian and UN organisations to support the vulnerable and provide medical equipment.

I thank you, Madam President.