The number of licences for cafés, bars and similar establishments has remained stable in recent years, according to a response to a parliamentary question submitted by Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) MPs Georges Engel and Ben Streff.
In 2017, 3,209 licences were issued, while this year the figure stands at just over 3,280.
Just under 30% of the licences, 935 to be exact, are held by breweries, while around 100 are in the hands of municipalities.
Questions around fair competition between breweries and hospitality businesses, however, do not fall within his remit, Economy Minister Lex Delles stated in his reply.
He noted, nonetheless, that the Competition Authority had already looked at the matter in a sectoral inquiry back in 2019.
The parliamentary response goes on to state that there are no plans to reform the current licensing system, as called for by the National Federation of Hoteliers, Restaurant Owners, and Café Owners (Horesca).
Nor is there any intention to change the statutory upper limit on the number of licences, a measure maintained in part to protect public health.
