EURACTIV debate: the future of hospitality after the coronavirus health crisis

 

Today our Director General, Ms. Marie Audren, participated as a speaker to the EURACTIV conference “The future of the food service sector in Europe: a road map beyond COVID-19“.

This morning’s relevant and informative debate provided a chance to discuss the future of the European hospitality sector and brainstorm on consistent policy strategies and tools to help the thousands of businesses fearing for or facing permanent closure.

Ms. Audren explained how it will take a long time to recover and that long-lasting support and commitment from the EU institutions and Member States will be needed – especially after the ongoing health crisis. “Permanently opening and closing hospitality businesses no longer represent an option for the sector“, she commented, “even after the crisis, just reopening will not compensate for our losses“.

When asked to share her key takes from the debate, Ms. Audren said to feel “confident in the creativity and diversity of our sector, and in its ability to innovate, but that now more than ever we need adequate support to survive and go beyond the crisis“.

It is with the same urgency that today we joined several industry partners operating in the hospitality sector and value chain in calling for the immediate setting up of a hospitality task force to deliver a road map for the recovery of the industry.