COUNCIL RESOLUTION

of 13 May 1996

on Euro-Mediterranean cooperation regarding tourism

(96/C 155/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

CONFIRMS the importance of giving practival effect, as regards tourism, to the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, the objectives and principles of which are established in the Barcelona Declaration adopted following the Euro-Mediterranean Conference on 27 and 28 November 1995;

EMPHASIZES the importance for tourism of consistent, closer cooperation between the European Community and the Mediterranean non-member partner countries and of developing such cooperation;

RECOGNIZES that, in order to bring about such cooperation on tourism, regional, multilateral or bilateral action should be undertaken, particularly in the areas of information, training and promotion;

REALIZES the importance of improving knowledge of the features of tourism in the Euro-Mediterranean region;

IS MINDFUL of the value of enhancing human resources as a factor in developing tourist businesses, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, and in improving the quality of services offered to tourists;

CONSIDERS that, in accordance with the principle of sustainable development, the promotion of Mediterranean tourism should ensure the safeguarding and maximize the potential of the natural, historical and cultural heritage and can thus help to develop a climate of tolerance in which diversity and pluralism are respected, without any discrimination on grounds of race, nationality, language, religion or sex;

TAKES THE VIEW that, in order to achieve the objectives laid down by the Barcelona Declaration and the annexed work programme, it is appropriate that Mediterranean non-member partner countries share the principles and guidelines on which the acquis communautaire is based, to the extent that these affect tourism;

Within the financial framework envisaged for Euro-Mediterranean cooperation,

CALLS:

1. as regards information:

(a) upon the Commission to:

- promote the collection and dissemination of information and statistical data on tourist flows and on the characteristics and impact of tourist activity in the Euro-Mediterranean area, having regard to the method worked out pursuant to the implementation of Council Directive 95/57/EC of 23 November 1995 on the collection of statistical information in the field of tourism (1),

- identify, in the framework of the gradual establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean free-trade area, in compliance with World Trade Organization obligations, obstacles standing in the way of the application of Community provisions affecting tourism by non-member partner countries;

(b) upon the Member States and the Commission to:

- develop the exchange of information on Community rules and their implementation, on the rules of the Member States and on provisions affecting tourism laid down by non-member partner countries;

2. as regards training:

upon the Member States and the Commission to:

- pay the requisite attention to tourism in implementing the work programme adopted at the Barcelona Conference, with the aim of enhancing human resources, especially by way of the regular dialogue established for these purposes;

3. as regards promotion:

(a) upon the Commission to:

- set in hand, with the Mediterranean non-member partner countries, closer consideration of tourist market trends and identify possible avenues of cooperation in the sphere of promotion,

(b) upon the Member States and the Commission to:

- examine together the factors likely to encourage the joint development of Euro-Mediterranean tourism, including new technology, with particular reference to maximizing the potential of the common natural, historical and cultural heritage.

IN CONCLUSION, the Council calls upon the Commission,

- to assess, with regard to tourism, the follow-up to the cooperation process initiated in Barcelona, and, if necessary, put forward proposals for the updating of the Barcelona work programme in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Barcelona Declaration.

(1) OJ No L 291, 6. 12. 1995, p. 32.