Publication Europe, the world's No 1 tourist destination – a new political framework for tourism in Europe COM(2010) 352 final

Release date 30/08/2010
Contributor Gordon Sillence
Author European Commission
Publisher European Commission
Publication year 2010
Issue date 29/06/2010
Keywords Sustainable Tourism, command and control instruments
Page(s) 14
Document type EC Communication
Internet access (URL) http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/tourism/files/communications/communication2010_en.pdf
Download PDF communication2010_en.pdf (PDF, 99 Kb)

The Treaty of Lisbon creates a new legal basis entirely devoted to tourism, with a specific article on tourism http://europa.eu/lisbon_treaty/glance/better_life/index_en.htm   specifying  that  the EU shall complement the action of the Member States in the tourism sector, in particular by promoting the competitiveness of Union undertakings, aiming to reinforce the EU as the foremost tourist destination of the world.

´As laid down by Article 195 of the TFEU, the European Union can therefore:

  • · promote the competitiveness of undertakings in this sector and create an environment conducive to their development;
  • · encourage cooperation between the Member States, particularly through the exchange of good practice;
  • · develop an integrated approach to tourism, ensuring that the sector is taken into account in its other policies.

This new legal framework is a real opportunity to carry out actions with a high European added value which take into consideration the concern to reduce administrative burdens. These actions are intended to benefit all countries in the European Union, as each of them, to differing degrees, has an interest in developing its tourist potential.`

This communication states four priority actions:

 

(1) Stimulate competitiveness in the European tourism sector;

(2) Promote the development of sustainable, responsible and high-quality tourism;

(3) Consolidate the image and profile of Europe as a collection of sustainable and high quality destinations;

(4) Maximise the potential of EU financial policies and instruments for developing tourism.

These four priorities provide the skeleton for a new action framework for tourism which the Commission intends to implement in close cooperation with the Member States and the principal operators in the tourism industry.