Representatives from beer consumer organisations across Europe gathered in Rome for EBCU’s 73rd Delegates Meeting, held at Open Area near the Vatican on 10 and 11 April 2026. The meeting was hosted by Unionbirrai, Italy’s association of independent breweries, whose Secretary General Simone Monetti opened proceedings with a presentation on Italy’s thriving craft beer scene.
FrankenBierfest
The meeting was preceded by a get-together evening at Open Baladin, one of Rome’s best-known craft beer bars, and followed on Saturday afternoon by a visit to the FrankenBierfest at the Limonaia di Villa Torlonia, where EBCU was welcomed as a special guest.
Two new associate members
Delegates voted to admit two new associate member organisations. Danske Øldommere (the Danish Beer Judges Association), represented by Per Bendiksen, has approximately 170 members and 81 fully certified beer judges, and hosts the Danish Championship of Homebrewing. Le Donne della Birra, represented by Michela Cimatoribus, is an Italian organisation founded in 2015 with 66 members, focused on gender equality in the beer industry, education, and collaborative brewing. Both organisations join EBCU as associate members.
Know Your Beer: from launch to Italian Parliament
Representatives from EBCU, Unionbirrai and the Italian Parliament, photo by Markus Raupach
The day before the meeting, on 9 April, EBCU and Unionbirrai held a press conference at the Chamber of Deputies in Rome to present the Know Your Beer campaign, which had launched earlier that week. The event was moderated by Unionbirrai’s Secretary General Simone Monetti and brought together EBCU Chairman André Brunnsberg and Unionbirrai President Vittorio Ferraris, who presented the campaign to a panel and audience that included members of the Italian Parliament. The reception was warm, reflecting a growing interest among Italian legislators in beer consumer issues and the role of independent brewing in Italian food culture.
The campaign website at knowyour.beer is a free multilingual resource explaining what beer labels mean and what consumers can reasonably expect from bars and restaurants. It is currently available in seven languages, with more to follow.
Beer education endorsement scheme approved
Delegates approved the establishment of an EBCU Endorsed Beer Education scheme, targeting professional and expert-level beer education programmes across Europe. The scheme is open to any organisation, not just EBCU members, and assesses programmes against three criteria: independence, educational quality, and consumer awareness. The remit of the Beer Styles and Beer Competitions working group has been expanded to cover education endorsement. Applications can be submitted to executives@ebcu.org.
European beer consumption: challenges and opportunities
A significant part of the meeting was devoted to the state of European brewing and its implications for beer consumers. Overall beer consumption is declining across Europe, with no- and low-alcohol beer growing strongly as a distinct category in its own right rather than a substitute. Delegates discussed the particular challenges facing mid-sized independent breweries, the impact on the wider supply chain including malteries and hop farmers, and how consumer organisations can respond constructively.
EU Consumer Agenda 2030
Saturday’s session included a discussion of the EU 2030 Consumer Agenda, the European Commission’s five-year strategic framework for consumer policy covering 2026 to 2030. The enforcement pillar of the Agenda, which explicitly commits to supporting consumer organisations financially and involving them in policymaking, was identified as the most relevant area for EBCU. A planned revision of the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation, expected in Q4 2026, will offer an opportunity for EBCU to submit formal input. Delegates agreed to begin building contacts with national consumer authorities across Europe in preparation.
Looking ahead to Berlin
The 74th Delegates Meeting will be held in Berlin on 6 and 7 November 2026, coordinated with GBCU. Executive elections will take place at that meeting, including the position of Chairman. A call for nominations will be issued in due course.
EBCU thanks Unionbirrai for their exceptional hospitality in Rome.
