WRITTEN QUESTION P-1923/03 by Helena Torres Marques (PSE) to the Commission. EU funds for the Caribbean tourism sector (follow-up to the reply given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission to Written Question P-0743/03).
Date: 2003-06-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Caribbean Islands, Cotonou Agreement, EU financing, common commercial policy, development aid, international competition, poverty, tourism policy

C 88 E/50

Official Journal of the European Union

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8.4.2004

delivered in the country since beginning of 2002 and is expected to be fully distributed by the end of June
2003. At the peak of the distribution process during the period February 2003 to May 2003 in excess of
five million beneficiaries benefited from food aid pipelines.

Working with its partners and the UN structure the Commission continues to monitor closely, without
difficulties, the distribution process and the targeting of international aid. The international community in
Zimbabwe has actively followed all reported instances of politicisation, and has investigated all reports of
abuse of food aid. In the beneficiary targeting process the identification of the vulnerable is done in
accordance with recognised criteria and in consultation with the local community structure. The
Humanitarian Aid Office of the Commission (ECHO) has allocated EUR 5 million to WFP precisely to
improve the combined capacity of WFP and partners to distribute food aid in a completely transparent,
well monitored and well documented fashion. The Commission is satisfied that the selection, distribution
and monitoring process continues to ensure that only those most in need receive aid. Furthermore, the
Commission insists with all
the guidelines for the distribution of
humanitarian aid as adopted by most Member States are strictly adhered to.

its partners in Zimbabwe that

The international community, through the office of the UN, has and continues to adopt an interventionist
approach in dealing with the humanitarian crisis not just in Zimbabwe but also in the southern African
region as a whole. It is generally recognised that this intervention has averted a humanitarian catastrophe
during the period since July 2002. The UN’s regional consolidated appeal process (CAP) for 2002/2003
has been well supported and made a significant impact. A further CAP covering the period to July 2004
should soon be launched. The 2003/2004 CAP is multi sectoral and will specifically target the most
vulnerable sectors of society and especially those affected by the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic.

Food procurement and distribution will again play an important role in the CAP especially for specifically
target groups in Zimbabwe. All food aid to targeted beneficiaries in Zimbabwe will again be channelled
through our WFP and EuronAid partners and will be distributed at the district level by international and
local NGOs. Government or government agencies will play no part in the distribution of food pledged
under the CAP.

(2004/C 88 E/0053)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1923/03

by Helena Torres Marques (PSE) to the Commission

(3 June 2003)

Subject: EU funds for the Caribbean tourism sector (follow-up to the reply given by Mr Nielson on behalf

of the Commission to Written Question P-0743/03)

The reply given by the Commission on 26 March 2003 (to Written Question P-0743/03 (1)) was quite
vague and, hence, thus disappointing.

Furthermore, two comments call for an immediate response:

(cid:1) The objective of ‘achieving poverty reduction’ is not valid in relation to most islands of the Caribbean,

since they are economically as prosperous as some European countries.

(cid:1) The statement that ‘the Caribbean is a specific tourism destination, which means that it is unlikely to
be a direct competitor to most European markets’ demonstrates a total misunderstanding of the
tourism business. Furthermore, the entire paragraph from which this sentence is extracted contradicts
the acknowledgement by the Council in its Resolution of 21 May 2002 on the future of European
tourism (2) ‘that the leading position occupied by Europe as a tourist destination at world level is
slowly weakening’.

Could the Commission reassess the two statements set out above, and could it explain clearly how it can,
on the one hand, express concern about the decline in the competitiveness of the tourism sector in Europe
and, on the other, help competing destinations?

(1) OJ C 33 E, 6.2.2004, p. 76.
(2) OJ C 135, 6.6.2002, p. 1.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(8 July 2003)

The Commission reaffirms its commitment to supporting tourism development as a way to achieve
economic development and poverty reduction. Reference should be made, in this respect, to the Cotonou
Agreement, where the role of tourism is clearly stated: (Article 24: ‘Co-operation programmes and projects
will support the efforts of ACP countries to establish and improve the countries legal and institutional
framework and resources for the development and implementation of sustainable tourism policies and
programmes, as well as, inter alia, improve the competitive position of the sector, especially small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), investment support and promotion, product development including the
development of indigenous cultures in ACP countries, and strengthening linkages between tourism and
other sectors of economic activity’). These are the areas in which the Commission supports the efforts of
the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.

With specific reference to the Caribbean region, the average gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is
about EUR 4 500 and two countries fall in the category of Least Developed Countries (LDC). The poverty
level is high in countries like Haiti, Guyana, Dominican Republic and Jamaica, representing more than
85 % of the regional population. The countries in the upper middle income category of developing
countries, on the other hand, represent only 3,5 %. Furthermore, the Caribbean economies are highly
dependent on tourism, which represents directly and indirectly about 900 000 jobs; their income from
tourism is very volatile and their economies are very fragile.

The Commission considers that an effective support to tourism development in ACP countries, and in this
specific case in the Caribbean region, can contribute to socio-economic development in these regions, and
then to a more inclusive and cohesive world economy. Its present policy for tourism development in the
Caribbean is aimed at that target.

The limited resources made available by the Commission for tourism development in the Caribbean,
presently representing only 3 % of total tourism arrivals, and still a niche market, do not seem such as to
undermine the perspectives of European destinations. These perspectives need to be strengthened by
means of adequate efforts, undertaken both by private and public actors, to innovate, improve the quality
and differentiation of the products offered, market the products in an effective way, and certainly not
simply by protecting the sector and limiting our support to developing countries.

(2004/C 88 E/0054)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1928/03

by Maria Carrilho (PSE) to the Commission

(13 June 2003)

Subject: Aid to uprooted people in Asia and Latin America: revision of Regulation (EC) No 2130/2001 of

29 October 2001

that

Given the need to avoid any interruption in the aid to uprooted people in Asia and Latin America and the
fact
terrorist attacks, when all donors had reduced their
contributions, the Commission, to its credit, sent out a positive signal concerning its strategy by increasing
the amounts earmarked for this specific aid, would the Commission answer the following questions:

to the September

in 2001, prior

As the current Regulation (EC) No 2130/2001 (1) of 29 October 2001 is due to expire on 31 December
2004, does the Commission intend to submit a proposal to extend the regulation? If so, when?

(1) OJ L 287, 31.10.2001, p. 3.