Europe’s brewers can play a critical role in creating employment opportunities for young people throughout the bloc, a new report suggests.

A study by EY and Regioplan shows that the EU’s beer sector is responsible for two million jobs, roughly the same as one per cent of the total.

Responding to the findings, Pierre-Olivier Bergeron, secretary-general of The Brewers of Europe, said the EU beer sector had overcome challenges and was in a strong position to help young people find work.

He said: “The nature of our business means that we can support a flexible labour market that enables job seekers, particularly young people, to acquire quality jobs and play an active role in Europe’s economic recovery.”

Following an eight per cent decline in beer sales across the EU during the credit crunch, the sector has picked up modestly by one per cent in the last two years.

But taxes, lifestyle changes and economic malaise across Europe has hit the industry, which lost 15 per cent of jobs the brewing value chain, which includes pubs, bars and cafés.