Event planning in times of coronavirus

You want to organize your event in Cologne, but are uncertain how things are working in times of coronavirus? We are aware of the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic holds a great deal of uncertainty for you in the course of your event planning and would like to provide you with the best possible support in this situation.

Large-scale events are forbidden throughout Germany until October 2020. Decisions on all of the rules and regulations including events that do not fall into the category of large-scale events are the responsibility of the federal states. As a result, events in Cologne are subject to the Stipulations of the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) (in German).

Holding trade fairs and congresses as well as events and festive events has been permitted again in NRW since 30 May 2020. However, suitable precautions must be taken for every event, in order to reduce the risk of infection as far as possible. A special hygiene and infection prevention concept is possibly required. We would like to support you by providing an overview of the minimum information that must be included in such a concept with our Coronavirus checklist that is available for download. In addition, on this page you will find a form template for the hygiene and infection prevention concept according to § 2 b of the CoronaSchVO (Order regarding protection against new cases of infection with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2).

Please note that:
The following information serves as a basis to support you in your event planning. We make no guarantee as to the completeness and currency of the information provided. As rules and regulations may change rapidly according to the current situation, we categorically recommend that you as an event planner establish contact with the responsible health authority with regard to the planned event at the earliest possible date. For the City of Cologne, you should contact:

Gesundheitsamt Stadt Köln (City of Cologne health authority)
Neumarkt 15-21
50667 Köln
Tel.: +49 (0)221/221-33500
e-mail: gesundheitsamt@stadt-koeln.de

What must be observed for a planned event in Cologne?

Before holding an event in Cologne

• Check whether your event falls into the “again allowed” category:
  • If your event falls under the heading "Trade fairs", "Congresses" “Culture”, or “Festive events” with up to 300 persons, such events are permitted subject to conditions regarding distancing and protective measures without requiring a hygiene and infection prevention concept (CoronaSchVO §8 and §13).
• Check the applicable regulations for entering Germany:
  • Information on the currently applicable regulations governing entry to Germany from your country can be found on the website of the German Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) or at the foreign ministry responsible for you.
  • Within Germany, your safe journey to and in Cologne is ensured by strict hygiene and protective measures on the German railways (Deutsche Bahn), the Cologne municipal transport system (Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe — KVB, DE) and at the Cologne-Bonn Airport.
• Work out the hygiene and infection prevention concept for your event with more than 300 persons in close coordination with your respective venue operator.
• Our Coronavirus checklist for your hygiene and infection prevention concept will help you in the process.
• Present this concept to the responsible health authority (see above).
  • Important: The health authority reserves the right to make changes to the hygiene and infection prevention concept or to order additional hygiene and protective measures.
  • Our recommendation: Inform the visitors to your event in advance of your rules and regulations regarding hygiene and infection prevention (e.g. via the congress website).
• Record the visitors’ data in accordance with the GDPR for possible contact tracing. This can be done using analogue or digital methods.

During the event

• As the organizer, you, in cooperation with the venue operator, are responsible for ensuring that the measures laid down in the hygiene and infection prevention concept are implemented and complied with.
  • Communicate your rules and regulations regarding behaviour to prevent infection with the help of simply understandable information boards.
  • Check their implementation regularly.

After the event

• Keep the recorded visitor data for the period of four weeks and secure it against access by third parties.
• In the event that you receive notification of an infection, transfer the recorded visitor data to the health authority. This can be done via e-mail.

[show less]