On Monday evening, at the foot of the Triangle Tower in Hall 1 of Paris Expo, the Union française des métiers de l'événement (Unimev) presented its new year's greetings to its members on the occasion of the Bakery Exhibition, renamed Sirha Bake & Snack since its takeover by the GL Events group in 2024. It was an opportunity for her to give an initial assessment of the events business in 2025, to outline the prospects for 2026 and to look back over the many projects currently being undertaken by the federation. " 2025 will not have been the post-Olympic hangover that some feared We're delighted to be able to support the development of the event," said Philippe Pasquet, co-chairman of Unimev and chairman of GL Events Exhibitions.
" After a historic year in 2024, the first half of 2025 was marked by a significant decline in corporate events, fortunately offset by a further increase in the exhibition and congress business at national level. In the coming weeks, we expect to see confirmation that this trend has been maintained over the year as a whole. ". And Philippe Pasquet considers that the effects of Covid have now been wiped out. " On the other hand, professionals are facing a significant lack of visibility for 2026 due to the political instability in France and the international geopolitical situation. "he adds.
As for Frédéric Pitrou, General Delegate of Unimev, he sees " a wait-and-see attitude ". " 2025 was a good year for trade fairs, because companies decided to take part at a very early stage, up to a year in advance. This will not be the case in 2026. The marketing of stands at trade fairs seems to be slower, or at least delayed, due to the current environment. But we must remain positive, given the results of our survey [see box]. Indeed, many companies are keen to invest more in professional events. This bodes well for the industry. "he adds.
While some exhibitors have decided not to attend the next Salon de l'Agriculture, other major events of the year are still expected to be well attended, such as Sial (food) at Paris Nord Villepinte and the Mondial de l'Automobile at Paris Porte de Versailles next October.
Maintaining the events industry's commitment to CSR
For 2026, Unimev intends to pursue its training initiatives, improve the customer experience, address CSR issues, and share best practice and information through its new community platform Unimev Connect. Supported by Atout France, Unimev will be promoting French Event Tech players at the forthcoming Imex Frankfurt B2B trade fair in May. " The French events industry needs a digital offering to promote itself internationally "says Philippe Pasquet. Faced with an America that has thrown environmental concerns into the dustbin, the Federation believes that CSR issues remain strategic for the events industry. It will therefore continue to promote the specific Iso 20121 standard. " France is the world leader in this field. This is a competitive advantage that we must maintain. Companies in the sector must not slow down on this front, which is anything but cyclical. At its level, Unimev intends to show the responsible and virtuous path of the events industry. "he insists.
Lobbying in the run-up to the municipal elections
Co-chair Béatrice Cuif-Mathieu then went on to talk about the desire to position " events as a tool of strategic influence for regions and the attractiveness of France ". As Unimev celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025, an industry contract was signed last July, bringing together the French government and France Congrès. " We need to communicate the legacy of our events to show the true benefit of them "says the woman who is also General Manager of Destination Nancy.
As part of this policy, Unimev has relaunched the Club Evénements & Territoires, which aims to provide a platform for reflection on the challenges facing the industry. There is also a clear focus on the forthcoming elections. Members have therefore been provided with a communication kit aimed at their elected representatives and candidates, as well as local economic players, to highlight the importance of the events sector. A white paper is also being finalised for the municipal elections in Paris. " The capital must maintain its leadership in hosting and organising events "explains Béatrice Cuif-Mathieu. These lobbying initiatives will be continued and even intensified in the run-up to the presidential elections in 2027.
