A4-0247/98

Resolution on the report from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Community measures affecting tourism (1995-1996) (COM(97)0332 - C4-0576/97)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the report from the Commission (COM(97)0332 - C4-0576/97) and accompanying working paper (SEC(97)1419),

- having regard to Council Decision 92/421/EEC on a Community action plan to assist tourism ((OJ L 231, 13.8.1992, p. 26.)),

- having regard to the Commission Green Paper on the role of the Union in the field of tourism (COM(95)0097),

- having regard to the Commission report on civil protection, tourism and energy (SEC(96)0496),

- having regard to the Court of Auditors' special report No 3/96 on tourist policy and the promotion of tourism ((OJ C 17, 16.1.1997, p. 1.)), and to the final report of the Commission to the European Parliament and to the Court of Auditors on the Audit of Past Tourism Actions of 14 July 1998 (SEC(98)1213),

- having regard to its resolutions, particularly those of 25 October 1996 on a first multiannual programme to assist European tourism ((OJ C 347, 18.11.1996, p. 441. )), on Community measures affecting tourism in 1994 ((OJ C 347, 18.11.1996, p. 441. )), on an evaluation of the Community Action Plan to assist tourism 1993-1995 ((OJ C 347, 18.11.1996, p. 446. )), of 17 February 1998 on the Court of Auditors' report No 3/96 ((OJ C 80, 16.3.1998, p. 38. )), 10 March 1998 on the euro and tourism ((OJ C 104, 6.4.1998, p. 71. )) and 31 March 1998 on improving safety, consumers' rights and trading standards in the tourism sector ((OJ C 138, 4.5.1998, p. 38. )),

- having regard to the motion for a resolution tabled by Mr Parodi and Mr Viceconte on the promotion of tourism and new accompanying measures (B4-0820/97),

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Transport and Tourism and the opinion of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Citizens' Rights (A4-0247/98),

A. whereas the Commission has presented a report on Community measures affecting tourism in the two years 1995 and 1996; whereas, strictly speaking, there is no legal basis for a report on 1996 actions which fall outside the timeframe of Council Decision 92/421/EEC; whereas, however, in practice, many of the actions undertaken in that year formed part of the 1993-1995 Action Plan to assist tourism and consequently could logically be presented together with 1995 actions,

B. whereas it is both useful and important to maintain regular, democratic control over all Community measures affecting tourism; whereas the Commission should continue to present an annual report summarising its activities in this sector and, as far as possible, also evaluate its actions; whereas this democratic control should also cover all contributions made to tourism through the regional funds,

C. whereas an annual debate should be held in Parliament on the basis of the Commission's report, providing an opportunity to review the coherence and effectiveness of Community actions, including all contributions made to tourism through the regional funds, as well as the coordination and coherence of overall policy,

D. whereas tourism is a crucial means of giving practical shape to the experience of European citizenship, while simultaneously offering an image of Europe to visitors from other regions of the world,

E. whereas the Community should promote tourism based on quality,

F. whereas the Commission has identified tourism as one of the five economic sectors with the most potential for rapid and low-cost job creation, for both skilled and less skilled workers, especially as regards women's and young people's employment,

G. whereas tourism is a transversal activity which affects various Community policies; whereas it is urgently necessary to identify clearly which those policies are and to design strategies based on the priorities for the sector, in agreement with the national and regional authorities,

H. whereas it is necessary to draw up an action programme and allocate sufficient resources to the Commission's tourism directorate, so as to endow it with the political weight that befits tourism, as an activity of major economic importance in the Union, and thus enable it to exercise effective controls over Community actions in the field of tourism and ensure close and appropriate relations with the industry,

I. whereas subsidiarity should remain a guiding principle for Community actions affecting tourism whereby each layer of administration, from Community to local authority, assumes competence for areas where it can provide real value added; recognising also the role that each one can play in developing a thriving and sustainable tourist industry,

J. whereas Community intervention should take the form of closer coordination and cooperation to meet the challenges to Europe of the globalisation of the economy in general and of tourism in particular,

K. whereas the Commission has noted that there is now greater awareness than ever 'of the importance of the responsible use of non-renewable resources and of the need to ensure their transfer to future generations' (COM(97)0332, p. 20, point 4) and whereas the Eurobarometer survey (('Facts and Figures on the Europeans on holidays (1997-1998)', March 1998.)) indicates that the most frequently cited cause of problems at holiday resorts is the state of the environment in general (9%) or the state of the environment at the holiday resort itself (8%),

L. whereas best practice in the use of on-line services needs to be disseminated and investment and training in the use of new technology widely encouraged,

M. whereas the Llandudno Conference held on 22 May 1998 under the auspices of the British Presidency was on the subject of tourism and SMEs and how to maximise their potential within the single market,

N. whereas the High-Level Group on Tourism and Employment is due to present its conclusions and recommendations before the end of October 1998,

1. Calls on the Commission to continue the practice of producing an annual report to Parliament and the Council on all Community actions affecting tourism and to undertake, as far as possible, an evaluation of the actions from previous years that have been completed in the year under review;

2. Urges the Commission to undertake a detailed analysis of the proposals submitted for the tourist sector by each of the fifteen Member States under their national employment plans, since tourism is recognised to be a key job-creating sector;

3. Stresses that, pursuant to efforts already undertaken by the Commission in this respect and the analysis of progress made on the main tourism-related issues following the implementation of Community measures affecting tourism, the means for overcoming the structural obstacles to a Community tourism policy need to be strengthened and the results included in the report;

4. Welcomes the Commission report on the Audit of past tourism actions and considers that it is time that the investigations into the problems associated with Community tourism policy in the past are concluded as quickly and efficiently as possible in order to focus attention henceforth on the measures needed to develop a clear, positive and dynamic framework for a future tourism policy that will gain the support of all the institutions;

5. Recommends the establishment of a directorate for tourism within DG XXIII, supported by the requisite funds in forthcoming budgets, with units responsible for:

- ensuring effective, coherent and systematic coordination and consultation with other DGs on all aspects of their work which affect Community tourism policy, with particular reference to transport, regional policy, environment, fiscal policy and consumer affairs;

- maintaining a close and constant liaison with the other directorates of DG XXIII responsible for policy to assist small and medium-sized enterprises;

- ensuring coordination with government departments through the Advisory Committee so as to ensure complementarity of measures;

- developing permanent consultation arrangements with the national tourist boards and the different branches of the tourist industry, supplying them with the results of studies and reports undertaken or commissioned by the Commission and receiving regular and up-to-date information on the problems and needs of the sector;

- evaluating, ex-ante and ex-post, all direct actions funded by the Commission affecting tourism and ensuring mid-term monitoring of projects where appropriate;

- increasing the information available to tourists on all aspects of their rights and responsibilities as consumers;

6. Takes the view that the budgetary authority should provide for appropriate and workable funding for direct Community actions in the tourism sector in the Community budget for 1999 in order to develop those areas where the Community can contribute real added value;

7. Considers that the strategy contained in the proposal for a multiannual programme for tourism ('Philoxenia'), presented by the Commission in 1996, represents, in general, an appropriate framework for the future development of a Community tourism policy;

8. Calls on the Presidency of the Council of Ministers responsible for tourism to convene a meeting, at the earliest opportunity, in order to take a decision on the adoption of a suitable multiannual framework programme which will provide the necessary legal basis for complementary and consistent Community actions in the field of tourism;

9. Considers that the reform of the Structural Funds proposed in Agenda 2000 should take due account of the need to ensure coordinated support for the tourist industry, while improving infrastructures, environmental protection and vocational training in line with the requirements of the creation of the euro and quality tourism;

10. Takes the view that the promotion of the EU as a tourist destination needs to be pursued in third-country markets so as to maintain the Union's market share; considers, however, that any measures taken by the Commission in this regard must fully respect the principle of subsidiarity and demonstrate a clear added value, concentrating on those areas where Community policy is providing tangible benefits to third-country tourists, such as publicising the benefits of full mobility between Member States following the communitarisation of Schengen, the advent of the single currency, which will enable third-country visitors to travel to a number of countries without changing currency, and the high quality and standards of consumer protection for all tourists travelling in the EU; considers equally that promotional campaigns for specific national or regional destinations in the Union should be left principally to the Member States and their national and regional tourist boards, in order to preserve and promote cultural and touristic diversity within the Union;

11. Calls on the Commission to recognise that the tourism sector will be the first to feel the impact of the single currency and to collaborate with the industry to present the benefits of travelling in the euro area to tourist markets both within and outside the Union;

12. Keenly awaits the results of recent studies on rural, urban and coastal tourism; is convinced of the merits of developing alternative forms of tourism as a tool for regional development, particularly in rural communities; notes, particularly, the successful contribution of the Leader II programme to developing rural tourism initiatives, and welcomes the retention of this programme under the new proposals for reform of the Structural Funds;

13. Welcomes the Commission project, announced in the strategy for the conservation of biodiversity, of drawing up international guidelines for sustainable tourism, and calls on the Commission to provide for special support for sustainable tourism in all existing and future EU programmes for tourism;

14. Draws attention in particular to the significance of the Objective 5b support programme for the maintenance of tourism in rural areas, and calls on the Commission to ensure that, in future, programmes support policies which pay special attention to mountain areas;

15. Calls on the Commission to organise, on the basis of respect for the principle of subsidiarity, concerted action by the Member States to promote exchanges of experts on the rehabilitation and restoration of the artistic heritage for tourist purposes, including the offer of training grants and encouragement of the creation of transnational networks (on the lines of that of 'Europa Traditionae Consortium');

16. Underlines the importance of major tourism fairs which are held every year in Europe (FITUR, ITB, WTM, BIT, etc), given their role as European-level meeting forums facilitating the obtaining of strategic market information at reasonable cost; proposes that at these various tourism fairs the Commission should have a stronger presence, creating awareness of Community added value in tourism policy and organising meetings between the different administrations (European, national, regional and local), the industry and other interested parties, to improve cooperation and coordination between the parties and to help pinpoint the European aspects of an industry which is in constant change;

17. Believes that priority needs to be given to stimulating investment and training in on-line services for the tourism industry, and that this technology is of particular value for SMEs and tourism businesses established in peripheral and island regions;

18. Calls on the Commission to improve the training of professionals in the sector, so as to enhance awareness of the medium- and long-term advantages, for the sector itself, of forms of sustainable, environment-friendly and heritage-conscious tourism;

19. Stresses the opportunity presented by the Commission's current employment strategy, on the basis of close cooperation with the national governments, of stressing the importance of ongoing training, maximising the job-creating potential of the tourism sector, and ensuring that the jobs concerned are sustainable in the long term by providing SMEs with the financial means to retain employees in low season for the purpose of training;

20. Welcomes the establishment of a High-Level Group on Tourism and Employment and looks forward to examining its conclusions and recommendations;

21. Welcomes the initiatives launched in the framework of the implementation of the measures planned under the Commission's communication of 27 November 1996 on combating child sex tourism (COM(96)0547); looks forward to the report, to be produced by the Commission by the end of 1998, on the progress made in combating such tourism;

22. Calls on the Council to consider the future repercussions for the competitiveness of EU tourism and for the development of the peripheral regions (in today's conditions of increased competition) of the lack of concerted actions or common policies in the fields of professional mobility, the effectiveness of communications and marketing and rapid reskilling in the sector in general;

23. Calls on the Commission to recognise the importance of tourism as an industry, and, in particular, the role of SMEs in the sector, both in terms of employment and competitiveness; insists, in this regard, on the need to complete and guarantee the smooth functioning of the single market while recognising the specific characteristics of SMEs and the need to develop appropriate policies to assist them;

24. Urges the Commission to encourage the exchange of best practices in the field of tourism with the applicant countries, in view of the key importance of the creation of a proper tourism infrastructure for sustainable social and economic development in those countries;

25. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Committee of the Regions, and the governments, parliaments and national tourist boards of the Member States.