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Is the Taxman Unfairly Targeting Non-U.S. Live Acts? ‘Touring Across Europe has Become Financially Precarious’

European artists, managers, independent labels and venue operators are calling on policymakers to overhaul "outdated and discriminatory" tax measures.

European artists, managers, independent labels and venue operators are calling on policymakers to overhaul “outdated and discriminatory” tax measures that they say are being “unfairly” applied to thousands of musicians touring Europe. Unlike most European artists touring Europe, U.S. acts performing on the continent do not have to pay withholding tax until they earn over a certain threshold, typically set at around $20,000 per year, due to international treaties in place between the U.S. and majority of EU nations. A more radical recommendation is that all 27 EU member states, including the major touring markets of France, Germany and Spain, follow the examples of Denmark, Hungary, Ireland and the Netherlands and stop collecting withholding tax from foreign artists altogether.

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