Bars, cafes and restaurants are going to be vital to the process of “re-connecting” European citizens socially after the coronavirus pandemic.
However, Europe’s hospitality sector, which mainly consists of small and medium sized companies, has been badly hit by the lockdown measures imposed due to the pandemic.
For most EU countries, the tourism season re-starts today (15 June) and the hospitality sector will play a key role.
The businesses will have to cope with significant income loss since they were forced to shut down as well as liquidity issues.
In addition, for an uncertain period of time, they will not be able to function at close to full capacity as social distancing measures continue to be applied.
In this Special Report, EURACTIV.com will look through the various challenges the hospitality sector will face as well as the role of EU institutions in helping the sector revive.
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Beer boss: Lowering VAT on alcohol would help hospitality sector revive quickly
Lowering VAT rates on alcohol across Europe would tremendously help the hospitality sector's efforts to turn the business around quickly and eventually recover from the disastrous economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Brewers of Europe.
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Trouble brewing for UK pubs with post-COVID distancing rules
Grant Convey sums up the existential threat facing the UK pub industry in eight words: “We can’t survive with the two-metre rule”. And many of his colleagues agree.
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MEP: Commission could issue recommendations to revive EU hospitality sector
The European Commission could recommend that EU member states take measures such as tax and red tape reductions to help the struggling hospitality sector recover from the economic losses incurred by the pandemic-induced lockdown, MEP Ivan Štefanec has said.
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Pubs ask for VAT cut on alcohol to face post-COVID reality
Europe’s hospitality sector has been hit hard by the lockdown measures enforced across the continent to contain the spread of COVID-19. In Belgium, pubs and restaurants were forced to shut down on 13 March. The Belgian government provided one-off payments and supported …
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Real Facts, and Beer
Abraham Lincoln is often (mis-)quoted as saying “I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and …
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Europe’s hospitality sector makes last appeal ‘before it’s too late’
Hit hard by the pandemic, Europe’s hospitality sector is struggling to find a way out of the current chaos. Speaking to EURACTIV, its representatives have painted a bleak picture and called on governments to take immediate action to help the sector revive rapidly before it’s too late.