Live from Brussels | Newsletter | November 2025

Dear readers,

The past two months have been among the most dynamic of the year at HOTREC, from the latest edition of European Hospitality Day in Brussels, to our 91st General Assembly in Cyprus, and the Future of Restaurants debate at the European Parliament.

Across these events, one message resonated clearly: European hospitality must remain competitive and resilient in the face of rising operational costs, labour and skills shortages, and growing digital market pressures.

This was also at the core of our high-level meeting with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola last week, where we called for strong enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), effective implementation of rules for short-term rentals (STRs), and cutting red tape for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that make up the vast majority of Europe’s hotels, restaurants, bars and cafés.

“With a regulatory environment that enables – not restricts – entrepreneurship, Europe’s hospitality SMEs can continue to grow, create jobs, and set global standards for excellence” said MEP Niels Flemming Hansen, who shares his perspective in this edition’s exclusive written interview. We warmly thank MEP Hansen for his valuable contribution.

This edition highlights EU policy files that will directly shape the future of our ecosystem. Central to our recent work is the publication of our new economic study on taxation, which shows that uncoordinated VAT increases could jeopardise business viability and put almost one million jobs across Europe at risk. The findings underline the need for balanced and competitive tax policies to support hospitality SMEs.

We also look ahead to major upcoming initiatives. The EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy must prioritise practical and SME-friendly transition measures. The EU Talent Pool could be a key tool to address labour shortages. New research on tourism resilience offers a systemic approach to climate risks, while a stronger focus on gastronomy is essential to recognise its value as an economic and cultural driver of European tourism.

Finally, we follow crucial negotiations on the Package Travel Directive, where clarity and legal certainty for businesses remain urgently needed, and on digital payments, where proposed refund rules risk destabilising fair commercial practices. These debates will be decisive in ensuring a competitive, sustainable and resilient hospitality sector.

As we wrap up 2025, HOTREC wishes you a joyful festive season filled with peace and hope. We look forward to achieving new goals together in the year ahead.

The HOTREC Team