Brewing Growth: beer as an engine to the European economy

Last week was a busy one in Brussels, with the European Union summit taking place and designated European Commissioners soon to face confirmation hearings with MEPs. And yet, on Wednesday, The Brewers of Europe House was packed as MEPs, journalists, industry representatives and fans of beer gathered for our Brewing Growth event.

The livestreamed debate, during which I presented our new report, 'The Contribution Made by Beer to the European Economy', included a discussion with Czech MEP Tomáš Zdechovský and Austrian MEP Hannes Heide.

It was my first event at The Brewers of Europe House since I became Secretary General this summer, so it was an opportunity to present myself to the Brussels audience. I'm keen to engage with policymakers, and I made the point that The Brewers of Europe want to be involved in debates about EU competitiveness, innovation, sustainability and responsible drinking: we have a lot to offer!

The 'fireside' discussion - smoothly moderated by journalist Jack Parrock - started with our report, which shows how integral beer is to the European economy. Economic stories often focus on the same sectors: tech, heavy industry, finance, amongst others. They are important, of course. But beer is often overlooked - even though it is one of the drivers of European growth.

As the report says, consumer spending on beer in the EU adds up to a massive €110 billion per year. Beer contributes over €52 billion in value added to the EU economy. Over two million jobs in the EU - around one percent of total EU employment - are directly or indirectly created by beer.

And yet, the sector faces challenges that are rarely recognised. Excise burdens are creeping up while production costs have risen in recent years - and while the Brewing sector is growing, we see on-trade sales are still below 2019 levels. As my fellow panellists pointed out, we want people back in bars and restaurants not only because it's good for the economy, but because it's good for local communities and society to have a thriving hospitality sector.

In the discussion that followed, I was delighted to hear how much beer from Europe is appreciated around the globe. "The best beer in the world is from Europe," said Tomáš Zdechovský. "And if you want to win an election in my country, you must be photographed drinking beer. It's very important for our culture."

He was echoed by Hannes Heide who underlined the environmental credentials of "a beer sector that is clean and green" and how important it is that Europe remains the world's leading beer-producing region - a key demand of our Beer Manifesto, which we launched earlier this year.

In the audience Q&A it was also great to hear from representatives from Euromalt and the German Farmers' Association, who highlighted the importance of the brewing sector in supporting malt producers, cereal farmers and hop growers, and the agriculture sector generally.

The overall mood at The Brewers of Europe House was one of celebration: beer is Europe's choice, and we should do what we can to ensure that we can continue to brew, to innovate and to serve. Beer is clearly part of Europe's heritage. It is part of our present. But, if we wish to maximise beer's place in Europe's future, politicians also have a role to play in shaping a supportive, competitive and sustainable legal framework.

After the discussion, we all had some great beers (including non-alcohol beer), good food, and chatted well into the evening. It was an engaging, instructive and fun event - and, I'm sure, an indicator of how we must be part of the conversation here in Brussels. Cheers!

Julia Leferman
Secretary General
[email protected]

ABOUT THE BREWERS OF EUROPE:

Based in Brussels, The Brewers of Europe brings together national brewers' associations and companies from 28 European countries to support the united interests of Europe's 10,000+ breweries. Our vision is to ensure a competitive, responsible and sustainable European brewing sector, creating shared value across the entire value chain and enriching European culture.