COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION of 22 December 1986 on standardized information in existing hotels (86/665/EEC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament(2),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee(3),

Whereas Article 2 of the Treaty provides that the Community shall have as its task in particular to promote throughout the Community a harmonious development of economic activities, a continuous and balanced expansion and closer relations between the States belonging to it; whereas tourism can help to achieve these objectives;

Whereas the Council resolution of 10 April 1984 on a Community policy on tourism(4) invites the Commission to present proposals, notably with a view to facilitating tourism within the Community;

Whereas, to overcome language differences and to take account of other special local features, it would be useful for travellers in all Member States to have standardized information on hotel accommodation using symbols to convey the facilities available;

Whereas the national tourist organizations responsible for tourist policy in the Member States or other competent organizations should also be responsible for the implementation of a standardized information system for hotels;

Whereas most Member States have a grading system for hotels to describe their standard of comfort and the facilities available; whereas in addition to the national grading systems there are also commercial systems operated by private bodies; whereas the existing national and commercial grading systems differ considerably;

Whereas, because of the differing criteria applied at present, it has so far proved difficult to elaborate a hotel grading system at Community level but it would nevertheless be desirable to consider the possibility of doing so in future,

HEREBY RECOMMENDS THAT:

1.Member States ask national tourist bodies or other competent bodies, in collaboration with bodies representing hoteliers, to assume responsibility for implementing the proposed standardized information system for hotels, taking into consideration the symbols set out in Annex II; whereas, this responsibility implies collecting, checking and publishing information on hotels in accordance with this recommendation;

2.Member States encourage the insertion of this standardized information in the official hotel guides, if they exist;

3.Member States aim at ensuring that the official hotel guide contains the information listed in Annex I;

4.Member States aim at ensuring that the prices of rooms are displayed at the hotel entrance and in each room;

5.Member States, taking into consideration the symbols set out in Annex II, make every effort to adopt and bring into force the appropriate national measures for the introduction of a standardized information system in existing hotels within two years of the adoption of this recommendation;

6.Member States send to the Commission each year the official hotel guide(s) published in accordance with this recommendation;

INVITES the Commission to make an analysis, in cooperation with Member States, of their tourist bodies and/or representatives of their hotel industries, of existing hotel-grading systems and to examine the practical usefulness and the desirability of producing a Community-wide grading system for hotels.

Done at Brussels, 22 December 1986.

For the CouncilThe PresidentG. SHAW

(1)OJ N° C 114, 15. 5. 1986, p. 8.

(2)Opinion delivered on 12 December 1986 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(3)OJ N° C 328, 22. 12. 1986, p. 1.

(4)OJ N° C 115, 30. 4. 1984, p. 1.

ANNEX I Suggested contents of official hotel guides

-an introduction explaining how to use the guide, with particular emphasis on the symbols used; this introduction should indicate when the high, shoulder and low season prices apply on a national and/or regional basis, and all useful information in the language of the country and at least two other languages;

-lists of hotels giving:

-their name, address, telephone and telex numbers,

-number of rooms and details of their sanitary facilities,

-opening period,

-maximum price for a double room in the high season, inclusive of VAT,

-distance from airport, railway station, and air terminal,

-credit and payment cards accepted,

-information on languages spoken,

-standardized symbols for hotel facilities (see Annex II);

-address to which any inaccuracies in the information contained in the guide may be reported.

ANNEX II Standardized symbols for hotel facilities

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<?aeLM11,><?aa8G>Building of historical or architectural interest >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Green surroundings >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Private car park >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Indoor swimming pool >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Outdoor swimming pool >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Tennis courts at or near hotel >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Sauna >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Accessible at night >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Telex available to clients >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Lift >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Meeting room available >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Television room >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Certain facilities for the disabled >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Facilities for children >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Dogs allowed >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Restaurant service >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Breakfast only >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Alcoholic drinks available >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Hairdresser's >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Dry cleaning and/or laundry service >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Room service >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Air-conditioned rooms >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Centrally heated rooms >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Radio in the rooms >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Television in the rooms >END OF GRAPHIC>

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Telephone in the rooms >END OF GRAPHIC>