(2004/C 84 E/0981)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0829/04

by Mario Mauro (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(15 March 2004)

Subject:   Parmatour: tourism concern owned by the Tanzi family, involved in the Parmalat crisis

It has emerged that Parmatour was used not only for its declared objectives, but also for other purposes. This led to negative operating results. Repeated attempts were made to remedy this situation by means of various restructuring measures, the latest of which — the dismissal of 60 employees and an industrial regeneration plan which was to produce positive results over a three-year period — had been in place for a year. Following the declaration of insolvency and Parmalat's going into extraordinary administration, the plan was frozen.

Management of tourist activities differs radically from that of industrial activities, in that the latter can temporarily dissociate the production stage from the sales stage.

It is essentially a service industry, based on the vital need for mutual trust between supplier and customer, with due respect for minimum market conditions, failing which the company may be unable to remain on the market and pursue its activity.

The inability to remain on the market, even for short periods, causes the company's value to collapse, even in the event of it repositioning itself, which in turn jeopardises the various interests it represents.

In view of the above, will the Commission indicate what measures it intends to take to enable this area of activity, in the broadest sense of the term, to have the best possible chance of being promoted and revitalised, rather than being stifled and virtually wiped out, as is currently happening?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 2004)

The Commission does not intend to take any position on the activities of Parmatour, which is involved in the financial crisis at Parmalat being investigated by the Italian judicial authorities.

One of the objectives of the Commission's recent Communication on ‘Basic orientations for the sustainability of European tourism’ (1) is to define a frame of reference to ensure the viability, continued growth, competitiveness and commercial success of the tourism sector. In this Communication, the Commission emphasises that open governance requires businesses to assume responsibility for conducting their operations in a manner that entails full implementation of appropriate corporate social responsibility practices for tourism value chain services and enterprises of any size or type.

(1)  COM(2003) 716 final.