WRITTEN QUESTION E-2861/01

by Paolo Bartolozzi (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 October 2001)

Subject: Measures aimed at tackling the crisis in tourism following the terrorist attacks in the United States

A worldwide crisis is affecting international and European tourism following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, not least because ordinary travellers understandably feel insecure.

This reluctance to travel is seriously jeopardising firms in the European tourist industry (losses are estimated at Lit 25 billion per day in Italy, for example), which are only to a small extent absorbed by the inadequate social provisions and flexible arrangements in the sector (particularly in the hotel sector).

Requests for urgent measures are being submitted by operators in the sector. These would include tax concessions for employees and firms, temporarily extending to travel agencies and tour operators instruments for compensation in the form of social and transport arrangements and the introduction and/or extension of organisational flexibility in the use of staff.

In view of Article 211 et seq. of the Treaty establishing the European Communities, can the Commission say what short- and medium-term intervention provisions and plans it intends to adopt to promote the revival of European tourism and to tackle the critical phase affecting the sector?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-2861/01 and P-3025/01given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(5 December 2001)

On 13 November 2001, the Commission adopted a report entitled Follow-up of the European Council of 21 September: the situation in the European tourism sector(1) which deals with the impact of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States on European tourism in particular.

In this report the Commission emphasises that some of the measures proposed in its communication of 10 October 2001 on the Repercussions of the terrorist attacks in the United States on the air transport industry(2) also respond to requests made by the European tourism industry. It further comes to the conclusion that the challenge will be to develop a strategy for the European tourism sector that meets the medium and long-term political and economic challenges ahead.

Such strategy that also corresponds to the requests from the European tourism industry stakeholders for integration and cooperation should be met by the new cooperative approach for the tourism industry set out in the Commission communication of 13 November 2001 entitled Working together for the future of European tourism(3). The measures favoured under this approach aim at improving the integration of the concerns of all tourism stakeholders in Community policies and initiatives affecting tourism, and at promoting a better interface with the tourism industry and other parties involved. This approach does, however, not mean to reformulate the former proposal for a multiannual programme to assist European tourism (Philoxenia).

Since uncertainty remains, the Commission will continue to monitor the impact of current events on tourism and keep it under review. This will be done in cooperation with the Member States, the tourism industry, and the other stakeholders. But, despite the immediate crisis situation with which specific market segments, sectors and destinations are faced, measures which harm the long-term prospects for growth and competitiveness of the European tourism industry should be avoided.

(1) COM(2001) 668 final.

(2) COM(2001) 574 final.

(3) COM(2001) 665 final.