Due to the increasing spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Europe and based on the recommendations of the German Ministry of Health and the Bavarian State Government, Messe München feels compelled to postpone IFAT 2020. This measure is taken in consultation with the Executive Board of the Exhibitors’ Advisory Board, the conceptual partners and in responsibility for the health of exhibitors and visitors. IFAT will take place from September 7 to 11, 2020.

“Under the given circumstances, opening IFAT in May would not be justifiable towards our customers, in particular from a medical and economic perspective,” says Stefan Rummel, Managing Director of Messe München and responsible for IFAT. “Now, we are looking forward to host a successful IFAT 2020 in September jointly with the industry.”

The decision to postpone the event was taken by Messe München in close cooperation with the Executive Board of the Exhibitors’ Advisory Board, the conceptual partners and in consideration of the many exhibitors’ responses. The Chairman of the Exhibitors' Advisory Board, its Executive Board and Managing Partner of the Kirchhoff Group, Dr. Johannes F. Kirchhoff, explains: “The conceptual partners of IFAT support the postponement of IFAT 2020. Based on the current situation, we estimate that the willingness of exhibitors and visitors to take part in the event is increasingly declining. Many companies have massively tightened the travel conditions for their employees, in addition to the personal insecurity of the individual and the unpredictability of further developments, jeopardizing the success of the trade fair in May. At the same time, the importance of IFAT for the entire industry is so great that we do not want to take this risk.”

IFAT’s conceptual partners are: Federal Association of the German Waste, Water and Raw Materials Management Industry (BDE); German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW); German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste (DWA); German Municipal Vehicles and Equipment Industry Association (VAK); German Engineering Federation (VDMA); German Association of Local Utilities (VKU).