They specifically urge decision-makers to avoid creating a worrying inequality between the employed and self-employed workers and the freelance community.

Urgent measures should include: immediate access to full sick pay for freelance workers, including isolation periods; possibility for authors to be covered by public health insurance during the crisis and the aftermath; adjustment of unemployment schemes where available, to ensure continued access; immediate access to guaranteed basic income, such as welfare benefits aimed at people without any income who do not have rights to unemployment benefits; options for replacement income for the crisis period; deferment/support for living costs (e.g. rent, mortgage, loans); tax relief.

The appeal was signed by: the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA), the European Writers’ Council (EWC), the Federation of European Film Directors (FERA), the Federation of Screenwriters Europe (FSE) and IMAGO.

Click HERE for the press release.