CELEX: 51988PC0413
Language: en
Date: 1988-10-14
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION ON AN ACTION PROGRAMME FOR THE EUROPEAN TOURISM YEAR ( 1990 )

No C 293/12                           Official Journal of the European Communities                                 17. 11. 88
                                                             II
                                                     (Preparatory Acts)
                                                COMMISSION
              Proposal for a Council Decision on an action programme for the European Tourism Year
                                                           (1990)
                                                    COM(88) 413 final
                            (Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 18 October 1988)
                                                       (88/C 293/18)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES                           Whereas it is therefore important to encourage a better
                                                                  utilization of existing tourism infrastructure and
                                                                  equipment and that European Tourism Year should
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
                                                                  present a valuable opportunity of attaining this objective;
Economic Community and in particular Article 235,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,                Whereas European Tourism Year can promote greater
                                                                  awareness throughout the Community of the oppor-
                                                                  tunities and benefits of all-year round tourism for the
Having regard       to  the  opinion   of   the  European         regions of the Community;
Parliament,
                                                                  Whereas efforts should be made during European
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic an Social
                                                                  Tourism Year to encourage citizens of all Member
Committee,
                                                                  States, especially young people, to travel abroad to
                                                                  acquire greater awareness of the reality of Europe;
Whereas the integrating role of tourism can be availed of
in order to promote the achievement of the large area
without frontiers of 1992;                                        Whereas specific powers for this purpose are not
                                                                  expressly provided for in the Treaty and Article 235
                                                                  must, therefore, be invoked;
Whereas tourism promotes greater mutual knowledge of
cultures and life styles of Member States among their
citizens, especially young people;
                                                                  HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Whereas tourism represents an economic sector of major
importance for Members States of the Community;                                             Article 1
                                                                   1990 shall be declared European Tourism Year.
Whereas the European Parliament in its resolution of 22
January 1988 on the facilitation, promotion and
financing of tourism proposed that 1990 be declared the
                                                                                            Article 2
European Tourism Year;
                                                                  The objectives of European Tourism Year are to:
Whereas the Ministers responsible for tourism stressed
the importance of tourism for the completion of the               — prepare the coming of the large area without internal
internal market at their informal meetings of 6 May 1988               frontiers using the integration role of tourism to
and 3 September 1988;                                                  advantage;
Whereas the most serious problem confronting tourism              — promote greater knowledge of cultures and life styles
in Europe is its over-concentration in the high season                 by citizens of Members States especially the young;
with congestion of trasport and accommodation services
 as well as detrimental effects for the natural and
 man-made environment and under-utilization of capital            — stress the economic importance of the tourism sector
 and human resources in the low season;                                in the completion of the internal market;
 ---pagebreak--- 17. 11. 88                                 Official Journal of the European Communities                                        No C 293/13
— promote a better distribution of tourism over time                       tative of the Commission and will comprise represen-
    and location, the staggering of holidays, alternatives                 tatives of Member States. Representatives of professional
    to mass tourism and new destinations;                                  Tourism organizations at Community level will be
                                                                           invited to participate in the work of the Committee as
— promote intra-Community and international tourism
                                                                           observers.
    in Europe;
These objectives will be pursued through coordinated                       The Committee shall be consulted on the subject of the
activities of the Community, Member States and private                     preparation and coordination of the activities mentioned
organizations.                                                             in Annex I.
                            Article 3                                      At the request of the Chairman or one of its members,
                                                                           the Steering Committee may consider any other question
The amount deemed for the implementation of the                            relating to the objectives mentioned in Article 2.
programme for the European Tourism Year, within the
limits of appropriations included in the annual budget, is
5 million ECU. The arrangements for financing the                                                       Article 6
programme are described in Annex I which forms an                          Member States which wish to receive Community
integral part of the present Decision.                                     financial support for the pursuance of the actions
                                                                           mentioned in Article 2 will be invited to identify projects
                             Article 4                                     as mentioned in Annex I that are suitable for Community
                                                                           financing and to control their execution and report to
The Commission, in consultation with the Steering
Committee, shall take appropriate measures to                              the Commission of the European Communities.
implement the programme, particulary in regard to the
co-ordination of public and private tourism organiz-                                                    Article 7
ations in the Member States.
                                                                           The Commission shall inform the Council on the
                                                                           progress of the work and shall submit a final report on
                             Article 5
                                                                           the implementation of the programme to the Council
The Steering Committee will be chaired by a represen-                      and to the European Parliament.
                                                                  ANNEX I
                                   ACTIVITIES ENVISAGED FOR EUROPEAN TOURISM YEAR
               A. Activities without financial implications for the Community budget
                  Voluntary action to be undertaken by public and private operators in the travel/tourism sector:
                  — price reductions in transport and accommodation during the low season
                  — use of the common logo and slogan of European Tourism Year in regular publicity campaigns
                  — spread of information on European Tourism Year through the mass-media.
               B. Activities co-financed by the Community budget
                  1. Pilot actions by public and private bodies to encourage new approaches to promote off-season
                     tourism and cultural, rural and social tourism.
                     Estimated cost: ECU 1 000 000
                  2. Actions by public and private organizations to develop travel by young persons between the ages of
                     15 and 25 aimed at greater knowledge of cultures and life-styles of other Member States.
                     Estimated cost: ECU 1 000 000
                     Financial assistance of up to 40 % of the cost of the operation could be granted. Applications for
                     grants should be submitted to the Commission by Member States after they have made an initial
                     choice of projects on the basis of potential efficacity to attain the objectives set out in the Decision.
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 293/14                              Official J o u r n a l of the E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t i e s            17. 11. 88
                 The Commission after receiving the opinion of the steering Committee provided for in Article 5 of
                 the Decision on the applications submitted by Member States in regard to eligibility, priority and, as
                 far as possible equity of distribution at Community level, will inform the Committee of its decision to
                 support or reject particular projects or request additional information.
                 Decisions on grants will be taken quarterly by the Commission in respect of applications received in
                 the preceding quarter according to the following table:
                                Applications submitted during                                    Decisions to be taken
                          First quarter 1989                                            end   of second quarter 1989
                          Second quarter 1989                                           end   of third quarter 1989
                         Third quarter 1989                                             end   of fourth quarter 1989
                          Fourth quarter 1989                                           end   of first quarter 1990
                          First quarter 1990                                            end   of second quarter 1990
                          Second quarter 1990                                           end   of third quarter 1990
                 Projects selected for grants should be designated 'Community projects for European Tourism Year'.
                 The competent authorities of the Member States shall have the responsibility for the control and
                 carrying out of Community projects for European Tourism year.
                 On their completion, they shall submit payment applications to the Commission accompanied by a
                 report on their execution and all necessary proof of costs incurred.
           C. Activities to be financed entirely from the Community Budget
              1. Administrative expenses and year logo
                 — remuneration of temporary staff engaged by the Commission
                 — rent of office and equipment for preparation of European Tourism Year
                 — logo for European Tourism Year.
                 Estimated cost 1989: ECU 300 000
                 Estimated cost 1990: ECU 500 000
              2. Competitions and prizes
                 Prizes for competitions shall be provided as follows:
                 — Best organisation of welcome of tourists by a town or village in each Member State
                     Estimated cost: ECU 15 000
                 — Best welcome for young people by youth hostel or similar establishment in each Member State
                     Estimated cost: ECU 72 000
                 — Best organisation, presentation and promotion of three cultural itineraries involving several
                     Member States
                     Estimated cost: ECU 75 000
                 — Best artistic production by young people on the theme of travel in Europe:
                     — one photographic competition
                          Estimated cost: ECU 45 000
 ---pagebreak--- 17. 11. 88                         Official J o u r n a l of the E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t i e s            N o C 293/15
                  — one short film competition:
                      Estimated cost: ECU 45 000
              — Best tourism display in a secondary school
                  Estimated cost: ECU 24 000
              — Best drawing of travel in Europe in a secondary or primary school
                  Estimated cost: ECU 24 000
              Total estimated cost: ECU 300 000
           3. Information and publicity campaigns
              In the mass media of all Member States for off-season tourism, cultural, social and rural tourism and
              other means of information on alternative destinations.
              Estimated cost 1989: ECU 900 000
              Estimated cost 1990: ECU 1 000 000