WRITTEN QUESTION E-3047/03 by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR), Heinz Kindermann (PSE),John McCartin (PPE-DE) and Willi Görlach (PSE) to the Commission. Recreational fisheries and tourism statistics.
Date: 2003-10-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU statistics, recreational fishing, statistical method, tourism statistics

C 65 E/264

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(11 November 2003)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its
findings as soon as possible.

(2004/C 65 E/278)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3047/03

by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR), Heinz Kindermann (PSE),
John McCartin (PPE-DE) and Willi Görlach (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Recreational fisheries and tourism statistics

(17 October 2003)

The Commission and Council are aware that there is a need to improve the common statistical base on
tourism. A common platform of know-how is a precondition for benchmarking, for change of views, for
learning and for addressing strategic problems in the tourism sector. Also that there is a need to develop
statistically valid and comparable data on tourism. A common goal is to initiate the implementation of
national Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA) in the Member States. Recreational fisheries (angling tourism)
are a significant part of the European tourism sector.

Will the Commission make sure that recreational fisheries are measured and their figures mentioned in
their own right within the overall frame for tourism statistics?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(18 November 2003)

The Commission would like to draw the attention to the usefulness of the existing statistical legislation
(Directive 95/57/EC) (1) for the production of internationally comparable statistics in the field of tourism.
Its implementation in the Member States has led to constant progress in the availability of valid and
comparable data on tourism. This data is published regularly by the Commission. As regards the Acceding
Countries, major progress has been made, so that they can provide the same level of information as the
present Member States at the moment when they will be joining the Union on 1 May 2004.

In the above-mentioned Directive, many breakdowns of the data are already requested, such as breakdowns
by nationality, by length of stay or by principal mode of transport. No breakdown is requested concerning
the type of holidays. As a result, it is not possible to distinguish recreational fisheries (or any other type of
holiday)
In order to limit response burden, an introduction of additional
breakdowns is not foreseen.

in the tourism statistics.

(1) Council Directive 95/57/EC of 23 November 1995 on the collection of statistical

information in the field of

tourism, OJ L 291, 6.12.1995.

(2004/C 65 E/279)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3063/03

by Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(17 October 2003)

Subject: European Parliament and Council Directive 2001/83/EC on the Community code relating to

medicinal products for human use

It has been scientifically proven that medicines affect women and men differently, yet women are
underrepresented in clinical trials and the data gathered is not systematically treated as gender-specific.