COUNCIL  DECISION
of 21 December 1988
on an action programme for European Tourism Year (1990)
(89/46/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),
Whereas the integrating role of tourism can be turned to account in order to prepare for the establishment, in 1993, of the large area without frontiers;
Whereas tourism promotes greater knowledge of cultures and life styles of Member States of the Community among their citizens, especially young people;
Whereas tourism represents an economic sector of major importance for the Member States of the Community;
Whereas the European Parliament, in its resolution of 22 January 1988 on the facilitation, promotion and financing of tourism, proposed that 1990 be declared European Tourism Year;
Whereas the Ministers responsible for tourism stressed the importance of tourism for the completion of the internal market at their informal meetings on 6 May 1988 and 3 September 1988;
Whereas the most serious problem confronting tourism in Europe is its over-concentration in the high season with congestion of transport and accomodation services as well as deterioration of the natural and man-made environment and under-utilization of capital and human resources in the low season;
Whereas it is therefore important to encourage a better utilization of existing tourism infrastructure and equipment; whereas European Tourism Year should present a valuable opportunity for attaining this objective;
Whereas European Tourism Year can promote greater awareness throughout the Community on the opportunities and advantages of extending the tourist season for the regions of the Community;
Whereas efforts should be made during European Tourism Year to encourage citizens of all Member States, especially young people, to travel abroad to acquire a greater awarness of the reality of Europe;
Whereas, to ensure uniform application of this Decision, a Community procedure for the enactment of implementing rules should be established; whereas a committee should be set up to provide a forum for close and effective cooperation between the Member States and the Commission in this field;
Whereas the Treaty does not provide, for the action concerned, powers other than those of Article 235,
1990 shall be declared European Tourism Year.
The objectives of European Tourism Year are to:
- prepare for the establishment of the large area without frontiers, turning the integrating role of tourism to account in the creation of a people's Europe,
- stress the economic and social importance of the tourism sector, inter alia in regional policy and job creation.
To this end, coordinated actions shall be undertaken by the Community, the Member States and private organizations, in particular to:
- promote greater knowledge among the citizens of the Member States, particularly young people, of the cultures and life-styles of the other Member States,
- promote a better distribution of tourism over time and location while respecting the quality of the environment, particularly by encouraging the staggering of holidays and the development of alternatives to mass tourism, and of new destinations and new forms of tourism,
- promote intra-Community tourism, particularly by facilitating the movement of travellers and tourism from third countries to Europe.
The amount deemed necessary to finance the programme for European Tourism Year, within the limits of the appropriations included in the annual budget, shall be ECU five million. The arrangements for financing the programme are described in the Annex, which forms an integral part of this Decision.
The Commission, in consultation with the steering committee referred to in Article 5, shall take appropriate measures to implement the programme, particularly in regard to the coordination of public and private tourism organizations in the Member States.
A steering committee hereinafter called 'the committee' is hereby established. The committee shall comprise a maximum of two representatives per Member State and shall be chaired by a representative of the Commission. Representatives of tourism associations at Community level shall be invited to participate in the work of the committee as observers. The committee shall be consulted on the subject of the preparation and coordination of the actions mentioned in the Annex.
At the request of the chairman or one of its members, the steering committe may consider any question relating to the actions referred to in Article 2.
Member States which wish to receive Community financial support for the pursuit of the actions mentioned in Article 2 shall be invited to identify projects, such as mentioned in the Annex, that are suitable for Community financing, and to control their execution and report to the Commission of the European Communities.
The Commission shall inform the European Parliament and the Council of the progress of work and shall submit a final report on the implementation of the programme to them.