If one major lesson came from the recent UFI European Open Seminar in Hamburg, it’s that the exhibition industry in Europe doesn’t much care for being confined to the back pages. With every story seemingly focusing on the success international organisers are having in Asia and the emerging markets, it’s easy to forget the Europeans, particularly those in the Eurozone, need trade show-driven export business if they are to return to pre-recession profit levels.
With this in mind, global exhibition industry association UFI has formed an alliance with the European Major Exhibition Centres Association (EMECA) to promote the significance of the exhibition industry within the European Union (EU).
The resulting body, the European Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEIA) is an initiative conceived to bring together Europe’s leading exhibition associations in a coordinated effort to raise awareness of the vital contribution exhibitions play in economic development and job creation.
The new body is expected to be fully operational before the final quarter of 2012, whereupon it will set about promoting the exhibition industry’s common interests to the framework-setting authorities in the EU.
“The exhibition industry is making a vital contribution to Europe’s growth agenda and we need to make sure this is much more clearly understood across the EU,” said UFI president Arie Brienen (left) at the signing in Hamburg.
His views were echoed by EMECA president Piero Venturelli (right), who claims the union is necessary if Europe is to remain a major player in the global marketplace for international events.
“The European trade fair sector is a key player in the international exhibition market. Our 19 EMECA members are proud to be part of this exciting new venture,” he said, adding its office in Brussels already places it in the heart of Europe. “Together with UFI, we will be even stronger.”
Brienen pointed to the benefit of getting key industry groups working together to present a single body able to aid the Europeans’ work in Europe and beyond. UFI has members in 24 of the 27 EU member countries.
The new alliance’s mandate calls for it to present a clear voice on all exhibition industry-related issues to the European Commission, European Parliament and other important European stakeholders. Hopefully the alliance can shout loudly and clearly enough to create a European operational environment favourable to the exhibition community.
This was first published in the Issue 3/2012 edition of Exhibition World. Any comments? Email sarah@mashmedia.net
