Live Pros Bundle Efforts In Europe To Lobby More Effectively

Yourope represents some of Europe
Screenshot yourope.org. – Yourope represents some of Europe
The association is leading an initiative aimed at finding best practices for the health and safety of fans as festivals return.

Two developments in Europe are indicating that the continent’s live entertainment professionals intend to form a much more effective lobby than has been the case so far.
For one, independent festival organization Yourope is driving an initiative called the “Solutions for Festivals” work group, which brings together industry leaders from across the European festival sector.
The list includes AEG Presents, Eventim Live/FKP Scorpio, Goodlive, Live Nation and Superstruct Entertainment.
The plan is to consult with “senior figures from production, the supply chain, and festival health and safety, as well as experts in SARS-CoV-2 health and medicine,” to come up with a number of best practices for the health and safety of fans as festivals return.
Meanwhile, in Germany, five associations of the live events trade are bundling their efforts under a joint name, the Forum Veranstaltungswirtschaft (forum for the events economy).
It includes the country’s promoters association BDKV, the European venue alliance EVVC, the interest group for the sectors self-employed service providers ISDV, the umbrella organization for Germany’s clubs LiveMusikKommission, as well as VPLT, the association for media and event technology.
The declared goal is to pack a more powerful punch when lobbying government going forward. Each association will continue to serve its specific sector independently, which is why they emphasize that “Forum Veranstaltungswirtschaft” is simply a joint name, and that the organizations aren’t forming an official umbrella organization.
Since each sector’s interests are overlapping and are dependent on each other, it made sense to address politicians as on voice, according to the announcement. 
All five association represent some 2,000 businesses, from self-employed to small to medium-sized businesses, all the way up to incorporated structures listed on the stock market. They all make up what is Germany’s sixth-largest economic sector, employing some 1.3 million people and generating around €130 billion ($158 billion) per year.