A joint declaration by European social partners in the hospitality, restauration and food industries – the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT) as well as employer organisations FoodDrinkEurope, FoodServiceEurope and HOTREC – was signed yesterday on 12 May. The declaration came ahead of the European Commission presenting its guidelines and recommendations to help member states gradually lift travel restrictions and allow tourism businesses to reopen after months of lockdown, while respecting necessary health precautions. The social partners call on the EU for an exit strategy from the Covid-19 crisis and a recovery plan that allows hotels, restaurants, bars, cafés and canteens to survive and to continue employing millions of people across Europe.
“Our estimates indicate a loss of 80-90% in turnover for the hospitality sector during Q1 2020,” the signatories write, adding that the months ahead will be marked by “great uncertainty”. The sector, which before the coronavirus crisis accounted for 10% of the EU’s GDP and employed some 12 million people, predicts that around 6.4 million jobs are in jeopardy.
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