European Live Music Forum (ELMF) along with Freemuse - an independent international organisation which advocates freedom of expression for musicians and composers worldwide – has launched an investigation of visa and work permit procedures in order to influence policy makers and administrators.

European Live Music Forum (ELMF) along with Freemuse - an independent international organisation which advocates freedom of expression for musicians and composers worldwide – has launched an investigation of visa and work permit procedures in order to influence policy makers and administrators.

A first step aims at documenting a collection of case stories illuminating the problems and challenges of bringing international artists into Europe, or from one country in Europe to another, particularly with a view to the fact that The European Union has signed the Unesco Convention on Cultural Diversity wherein it is specifically called for “adapting measures in developed countries with a view to facilitating access to their territory for cultural activities from developing countries." In order to gather as many case stories as possible a questionnaire is available and the ELMF say additional comments would also be deeply appreciated by January 7th 2008.