Had Been Scheduled For May 13-17 At The Berlin ExpoCenter Airport

Following an extraordinary meeting of the supervisory board of Messe Berlin and the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI), the organizers of the ILA, the board has decided to cancel ILA Berlin 2020, which had been scheduled for May 13-17 At The Berlin ExpoCenter Airport.

Due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus, on March 12, the head administrator of the district of Dahme-Spreewald – the authority responsible for enacting protective measures to prevent the spread of contagious diseases – issued a general order and instructed its immediate implementation. It states that "events with an anticipated attendance of at least 1,000 persons are forbidden in the administrative district of Dahme-Spreewald." The order is not time-limited and will remain in force until further notice. Explaining their decision, the authorities noted the assessments made by the Robert Koch Institute and the relevant public health authorities, following which an imposition of minor restrictions would be unable to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at large events of this kind. They also noted that it would be virtually impossible to trace the previous movements of those who made contact with the virus.

"For us, it is clear that we take responsibility for the exhibitors, partners and visitors at ILA 2020," said BDLI Chief Executive Volker Thum. "We would like to expressly thank everyone whose commitment over the past few months helped to prepare for the ILA. Our high-tech industry is of strategic importance to the country. This crisis is a severe blow. Now, more than ever, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with policymakers and all our stakeholders."

"It is with a heavy heart that we must now announce the cancellation of ILA Berlin 2020," said Dr. Christian Göke, Chief Executive Officer of Messe Berlin GmbH. "For weeks Messe Berlin has made it known that a decision on holding or cancelling large-scale events can at present only be based on the recommendations or instructions of the relevant specialist authorities. Only they possess the necessary information and specialist knowledge in order to draw the right conclusions. We take our responsibility for the health and safety of our visitors, exhibitors and employees very seriously."

Over 1,100 exhibitors from more than 40 countries and around 180,000 trade visitors and members of the general public attended ILA 2018.

(Source: ILA 2020 news release)

FMI: www.ila-berlin.de/en