+++++ UPDATED LIST MAY 13, 2020 +++++

EEIA RELEASES DOCUMENTATION ON ECONOMIC MEASURES TAKEN BY GOVERNMENTS TO SUPPORT EXHIBITION INDUSTRY TO MITIGATE COVID-19 CRISIS

• Report shows EU and national governments’ support for businesses and the economy in general
• Report also covers action taken by the exhibition industry to provide support to communities through the COVID-19 crisis

The European Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEIA), which is a partnership between UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry and EMECA, the European Major Exhibition Centres Association, is today releasing documentation that lists support from the EU and national governments in Europe for businesses in general, and the exhibition industry in particular. 

“By gathering and sharing examples of general financial measures and dedicated support for the exhibition industry already implemented across Europe, we want to encourage other governments and policymakers to offer the same in their respective markets“, says Barbara Weizsäcker, Secretary General of EEIA and EMECA. 

Positive actions have already been implemented by the EU, as requested and communicated from EEIA, UFI and EMECA, whereby the three EU institutions collaborated to approve and put in place a such financial support swiftly. Additional EU funding will be made available to the EU Member States. The documentation may serve to the exhibition industry across Europe for their respective national advocacy efforts.

The exhibition and business events were the first to be shut down and will open with delay due to the longer planning and preparation time for such events. Therefore, the industry is specifically concerned by the effects of the coronavirus measures. Nonetheless, exhibitions and trade fairs are a fast-track to economic recovery once the coronavirus crisis has passed and will deliver the best return on investment for companies to access markets again.

The report also lists examples from across Europe of how the exhibition industry is providing support in this crisis, with initiatives such as converting exhibition halls to temporary Covid-19 emergency hospitals. “This shows how our industry is linked to their local communities, putting concrete actions in place with dedicated staff during crisis situations like the pandemic now“, says Kai Hattendorf, UFI MD/CEO.

This information is available at https://www.exhibition-alliance.eu/news.
Similar documentation for Asia-Pacific, Middle-East Africa and the Americas are currently under preparation and will be available from the UFI website at: https://www.ufi.org/industry-resources/coronavirus/

Background Information

About the European Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEIA)

The European Exhibition Industry Alliance represents nearly 400 European exhibition organisers and venue operators in Brussels to the European institutions and stakeholders. These trade fairs and exhibition players are organised in UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry and the European Major Exhibition Centres Association EMECA. Founded in 2012, its aim is to represent the common interests of the European exhibition industry to European Union institutions and other relevant stakeholders in Brussels. It promotes the impact of the sector, monitors EU issues and advocates the sector’s common interests to maintain a favourable operating environment within the EU and globally. For more information please visit:
www.exhibition-alliance.eu   www.ufi.org   www.emeca.eu