The first European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) conference will be virtual and will take place from 26-27 January 2021. The EDIH Gearing up towards European Digital Innovation Hubs conference is jointly organised by the European Commission, Luxinnovation, the Luxembourg Ministry of the Economy and DIHNET. The event will gather Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs), designated EDIHs, regions and Member States, and various representatives of EEN, Clusters, SME associations, public sector organisations and vocational training institutes.

The ongoing health crisis is having a devastating impact on Europe’s restaurants, cafés and bars. Since the beginning of the crisis, public authorities have been alternating between various combinations of movement and gathering restrictions in an attempt to rein in the spread of the disease. As a result, the sector has faced a patchwork of measures, ranging from curfews to maximum patron capacity to complete closure, often with minimal advance notice. The threat that the embattled wider hospitality sector faces is existential as many businesses face permanent closure. The impact goes beyond revenue and jobs and into the character of our communities. Local spots and the culture they foster are woven into the social fabric of our neighbourhoods and the European way of life. Owners are confronted with what seems to be a moving target. After last spring’s lockdowns, they invested in safety and hygiene concepts, only to revert to delivery and takeaway services, before closing down again. That has been the picture across Europe, with few exceptions. With the prospect of a third wave, the sector is in urgent need of a consistent policy strategy that goes beyond closures and immediate financial relief. Join this EURACTIV Virtual Conference to discuss what the optimal blueprint for the future of the food service industry might look like in Europe and what mix of policy tools can be most helpful to the sector.

Are you active in the water sector or involved in a water-related initiative or challenge within another sector? If so, you may be interested in the first WINNing (Water Innovation Networking) days focused on Horizon Europe and targeting the actors who want to be one step ahead in their innovation strategy. A Conference on 2 February 2021, including plenary sessions and five dynamic workshops, will be followed by one-to-one matchmaking opportunities for businesses, which will run until 16 February. Horizon Europe is the next European Union (EU) funding programme for research and innovation and will run from 2021 to 2027. As water impacts many sectors and areas of research and innovation, with cross-cutting challenges, this event aims to bring together all the key actors to foster cross-sectoral discussion and ideas. It is co-organised by three European water clusters, France Water Team, ZINNAE and Water Alliance, with the support of Enterprise Europe Network (EEN).

EU Industry Days is Europe’s flagship annual event on industry. It serves as the main platform to discuss industrial challenges and co-develop opportunities and policy responses in an inclusive dialogue with a wide range of partners. It also helps to ensure that our policies at European, national, regional and local levels work together to enable European industry to deliver jobs, growth and innovation in Europe. The next edition will take place in the week of 22-26 February 2021.