As the Government assesses the likely impact of Brexit, a consultation run by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee has invited evidence of how Brexit could affect the creative industries, tourism and the digital single market.

Download our full submission on Brexit here.

Our own submission to the consultation was an opportunity to reiterate many key issues for authors and other creators. While we are often asked to consider the potential opportunities of Brexit, we believe that first we need to look at the risks, and to consider how we can minimize them.

Our key points

• Authors and the UK publishing industry are vitally important to the UK, both in terms of revenues (both internal and export) and cultural significance. That must be considered and maintained.
• We urge that the significance of intellectual property to the UK economy, and the creative industries in particular, continues to be recognised in the context of future trade negotiations.
• Economic uncertainty tends to make businesses more conservative and less likely to invest in new talent and ideas, leading to a reduction in cultural diversity. This is extremely concerning, particularly if linked to a closing of our borders to vibrant talent from Europe.
• We urge the Government to take measures to maintain free movement for creators and performers and free flow of digital information to protect diversity and our cultural heritage.
• We must invest in funding for translation to maintain diversity and understanding of other cultures.
• The UK has a well-functioning and balanced copyright system. Stability for application of existing EU Regulations and transposition of EU Directives which form part of our copyright law must be maintained as part of the Great Repeal Bill.
• The value of the fair dealing doctrine for application of copyright exceptions and limitations (as opposed to fair use) must be seen as part of creating clarity and transparency for application of copyright rules both during and after Brexit.
• EU recommendations for provisions protecting creators should be adopted into UK law.
• VAT at zero rate should be extended to ebooks.
• Higher education, arts and translation funding is vital and must be maintained.

We are still in the early stages of the UK’s departure from the EU, so it is difficult to predict how the Government will choose to protect our creative industries throughout the process, and what opportunities they might take to strengthen them.

We will of course continue to keep you up to date as the process moves forward.

Download our full submission on Brexit here.