The UK government says it won't be looking for a visa waiver scheme to allow UK artists to go on tour without the need for visas, carnets, and work permits for each EU state.

One hundred artists including Sting, Bob Geldof and Elton John signed an open letter calling for negotiations to allow paperwork free travel.

The Musicians' Union has been lobbying for the creation of musicians' passports to cover road crew, technicians and all key staff that work behind the scenes on a touring schedule.

The ramifications are widespread. Haulage companies that transport tons of equipment will now have limitations on the number of borders they can cross without visiting the UK in between and there will be implications for sales-tax on merchandise sold in European countries during the tour.

The letter, which also included signatures from Bryan May and Liam Gallagher, said: "The deal done with the EU has a gaping hole where the promised free movement for musicians should be. 

"Everyone on a European music tour will now need costly work permits for many countries they visit and a mountain of paperwork for their equipment."

Traditionally the UK has been a hub for European tours because of its expertise in staging, lighting, transport and sound operations. There are concerns that the bureaucracy could drive tour management to start basing operations in other European cities.