A delegation with representatives from the Groningen City Club and the municipality of Groningen took part in a meeting at the European Commission about revitalising the retail sector this week in Brussels.
Translation by Traci White
On Tuesday, the Groningen delegation spoke about the ways that the city has succeeded in keeping store fronts attractive, which is an issue that many areas across Europe are struggling with as more and more shops are standing empty.
During the meeting, Simon Poelstra, an advisor for the Economic Affairs department of the municipality, described the developments that have occurred in Groningen in recent year and how business people and the local government have been working together.
The Groninger Internet Courant reports that the biggest recurring theme was innovation, namely the ways in which Groningen can continue striving toward innovative approaches to retail. Further collaboration between international cities was also identified as a promising approach.
According to Euronews, retail sales have been in decline in recent months across the Euro zone, particularly in Germany and the United Kingdom. Sales were down by 1.6 percent in the 19 Euro zone countries in December. Uncertainty surrounding Brexit is playing a role, causing hesitation to spend among British and EU companies and consumers alike.
