On Friday 9 July 2021, festival organizer ID&T, known for festivals such as Mysteryland, Milkshake, and Decibel Outdoor, among others, filed summary proceedings against the Dutch government, in response to the measures that had been announced earlier that evening. The organization disagrees with the recent decision the Dutch government made to categorically ban non-seated public events and consider the decision as carelessly prepared and incorrect. More than 40 other parties, including the organizations behind events such as F1 Dutch Grand Prix Zandvoort, DGTL, and Don’t Let Daddy Know, joined ID&T as co-plaintiffs.

 

During yesterday's debate in the Dutch Parliament, the criticized decision of the government and the problems the event industry is currently facing were extensively discussed and the Minister Health Welfare and Sports, De Jonge, offered to enter a dialogue with the event industry. Coming week the event industry, represented by the Alliantie van Evenementenbouwers and Fieldlab, of which ID&T c.s. is part, will start a dialogue with the concerned ministers and until then, the summary proceedings will be paused. If the dialogue does not result in a workable situation, ID&T c.s. will continue the summary proceedings and force a workable situation via legal action.

 

Ritty van Straalen, CEO of ID&T: "The support received from the Dutch Parliament in yesterday's debate and the willingness of Minister De Jonge to enter into a dialogue with the industry is welcomed by us and the parties that joined us and feels like a first step in the right direction. We hope that we can reach a constructive solution that allows events to take place in a safe manner as soon as possible."

 

In the coming week's dialogue, the main topics that will be discussed are how events, including multi-day events and those with camping, can be organized in a safe way, based on 100% capacity, without social distancing and in accordance with previous permits, and how the government can move along if there is a deviation. The sector wants predictable and clear conditions for the continuation of events and concretization of the guarantee fund the government initiated. Furthermore, the sector demands that the government comes up with a plan for a watertight system for Testen voor Toegang (Testing for Access), as soon as possible, so that events and festivals can still be organized in a safe manner now and in the future.

 

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