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‘Maximum Uncertainty’ In Light Of Germany’s COVID Policy
Germany may be in danger of falling back into the same old patterns that made planning and promoting events almost impossible during the past two years, according to the country’s event industries body Bundesvereinigung Veranstaltungswirtschaft, also known simply as fwd:.
Germany toughened its so-called infection protection act in a parliamentary session on Aug. 3. The new draft gives the country’s individual states the ability to limit indoor capacities, as well as reintroduce the need to wear face masks and maintain distances – all of which has been shown to severely hamper the promoter’s ability to make money on shows.
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According to Christian Eichenberger, chairman of fwd:, the latest draft once again created complete unpredictability. “If event organizers have to reduce capacities at short notice because state governments – even without clear pandemic definitions – determine a tightening [of restrictions], it is not possible to plan seriously,” he said in a statement.
“The consequence is maximum uncertainty among clients and guests of events. If the draft is not revised, extensive event cancellations from October onwards will be the inevitable consequence,” Eichenberger continued.
The fwd: chairman fears an “even greater brain drain,” that the one that’s been occurring over the past two years, when many professionals working in the biz were forced to find new jobs.
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Another German live events association, the Forum Veranstaltungswirtschaft, has been emphasizing that the country’s federal and state governments must adopt clear measures for dealing with the pandemic in the fall/winter of 2022/23.
“In any case, capacity restrictions must be ruled out in the future. This is the only way to prevent mass cancellations of events and another setback for the ailing event industry,” the Forum stated in July.
The latest draft of Germany’s infection protection act suggest, that the country’s politicians don’t intend to heed the warnings.
The Forum Veranstaltungswirtschaft is an alliance of six live event associations, including Germany’s promoters association BDKV, the European venues association EVVC, the trade association for exhibitions FAMA, the interest group for self-employed event professionals ISDV, club association LIVEKOMM as well as the association for event tech VPLT.