HOTREC's Working Groups play a vital role within the organisation, focusing on specific policy areas. Each group meets at least twice per year and is dedicated to a particular domain, leveraging the expertise of multiple representatives from the HOTREC membership.
Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee (SSD)
This Committee oversees HOTREC's Sectoral Social Dialogue in collaboration with its trade-union counterpart, EFFAT, as mandated by the General Assembly. Comprised of five representatives, including a Chair, the committee is elected by the General Assembly for a renewable two-year term.
The current committee members were elected in October 2022:
- Dirk Beljaarts | Chair from HOTREC side | the Netherlands
- Andrea Chiriatti | Member | Italy
- Karina Lafranz | Member | Denmark
- Fatima Hollander | Member | Sweden
- Sami Nisamedtin | Member | Finland
The SSD Committee meets three times per year. The meetings are chaired by the European Commission, along with HOTREC and EFFAT’s Secretariats.
Social Affairs Working Group
The HOTREC Social Affairs Working Group aims at preparing the Sectoral Social Dialogue meetings and looking at the latest policy and legislative developments on social affairs.
Discussions include ways to tackle labour and skills shortages; promoting health and safety in the workplace; exchanging practices developed at the national level on different topics, such as education and training (including apprenticeship schemes); legal migration practices; integration of refugees; how better to embrace sustainable and digital practices in the world of work.
The working group meets three times per year.
Dirk Beljaarts is the chair of the Working Group. Its meetings are prepared and moderated by Marta Machado, HOTREC Deputy Director General.
Restaurants, Bars, Cafés and Late-Night Working Group
The Restaurants, Bars, Cafés, and Late-Night Working Group serves as a forum for members to engage in discussions and best practices sharing on different policy areas impacting the sector – such as food, circularity, policy, nutrition, alcohol and beverages as well as accessibility.
Co-chairing the Restaurants, Bars, Cafés, and Late-Night Working Group is Adrian Cummins, Ireland, and Antonio Flamini, Italy. The meetings of this group are organized and moderated by Marine Thizon, Public Affairs Manager at HOTREC.
Short-Term Rentals Working Group
In the Short-Term Rentals Working Group, HOTREC members engage in constructive discussions on the evolving landscape of rapidly growing collaborative activities. Its operations are led by the Chair, Ramón Estalella, Spain, and organized and moderated by Matej Žežlin, Public Affairs Manager at HOTREC.
This working group not only facilitates the exchange of practices among HOTREC member countries but also formulates key policy recommendations to be presented to policymakers across Europe.
Sustainability Working Group
The Sustainability Working Group is an active platform within HOTREC that focuses on driving sustainability in the European hospitality industry. This group engages in discussions surrounding crucial policy issues, including the reduction of the sector's carbon footprint, the energy efficiency of buildings, circularity, and other sustainable practices, in line with its internal sustainability Action Plan.
The Working Group is chaired by Maria Schreiner, Austria, and its meetings are organized and moderated by Marta Machado, Deputy Director General of HOTREC.
Distribution Working Group
The HOTREC Distribution Working Group provides a platform for active engagement and discussion among members on matters related to the distribution of hospitality services.
The group collaborates to coordinate actions and projects that deepen the industry's understanding of the platform economy and its impact on European hospitality. They work towards creating a level playing field by addressing relevant issues and promoting measures that ensure fair competition within the sector.
Markus Luthe, Germany, serves as the Chair of the HOTREC Distribution Working Group. Its meetings are prepared and moderated by Matej Žežlin, Public Affairs Manager at HOTREC.