Concerts will probably not take place for a long time.
The event industry sees no end of the tunnel due to the corona situation. The industry is sharply critical of the amendment to the epidemic law.
An amended Covid-19 Measures Act and Epidemic Act were submitted for assessment by the Minister of Health at the beginning of this week. There was a deluge of opinions. The draft has met with sharp criticism in the event industry, and not just because of the extremely short deadline.
“The uncertainty among clients and visitors to events is simply too great. Many entrepreneurs are already considering fleeing to bankruptcy. Unfortunately, the numbers of developments in the area of COVID-19 diseases are pointing in the wrong direction again,” says Erik Kastner, Event professional and founder of the Austria Event Pool.
It is currently not possible to plan events for the first half of 2021. Anyone who organizes events on a commercial basis and disregards a prohibition in accordance with the Epidemic Act will in future be punished with a fine of up to 30,000 euros in accordance with the bill. Participants in prohibited events have to deliver up to 1,450 euros. According to the amendment to the law, the gathering of four people will in future be considered an event.
The members of the Austria Event Pool (AEP) drafted a common basic concept for a “future scenario” for the continued existence of companies and the safeguarding of jobs months ago. The AEP was founded in May 2020 as an interdisciplinary mouthpiece for the entire event industry.
Unfortunately, the measures currently being taken are far too short-sighted and cannot save the event industry. “The failures are too great and the possibility of getting back on track quickly is very, very small. We can organize and host – the visitors just stay away! Perseverance in the ostrich policy cannot be the future,” said Kastner.
