92003E1253

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1253/03

by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(3 April 2003)

Subject: Crisis in the European tourist industry

At the end of 2002 the possibility of an armed conflict in Iraq put a freeze on the reserves for summer 2003 and this brought to a halt the tentative recovery which the tourist industry had been experiencing since the middle of 2002. The outbreak of war in Iraq has only made matters worse.

This state of uncertainty may have a damaging effect on the European tourist industry and, consequently, on the EU's economy.

Has the Council done anything to alleviate this state of affairs and if so, what? If not, does the Council, taking due account of the principle of subsidiarity, believe that it would be appropriate to implement a common tourist policy so that structural and coordinating measures for an industry subject to the impact of European-level developments can be promoted at EU level?

Reply

(29 September 2003)

The Honourable Member's attention is drawn to the Council Resolution of 21 May 2002 on the future of European tourism, which calls on the Commission to present each year to the Advisory Committee on Tourism a written and regularly updated note outlining the various measures envisaged by the Commission which may affect the tourism sector and for that Committee to be involved in the monitoring of the measures proposed in the Commission communication Working together for the future of European tourism. His attention is also drawn to the Council's conclusions at the close of its meeting on 19 May 2003.

At its meeting in Brussels on 20/21 March 2003, the European Council also highlighted the importance of tourism in its conclusions concerning measures required in order to make business more competitive and foster entrepreneurship. In that connection the European Council pointed to the need for further efforts, at EU and at national level, to improve the overall business environment for all sectors, including tourism (start-ups and growth of small and medium-sized firms, reducing administrative and regulatory burdens, etc.).

As regards steps to deal with the crisis and restore confidence in the sector, the Council would remind the Honourable Member that it is for the Commission to propose any measures deemed necessary.