The tourism industry should get subsidies from the EU structural funds to help it rehabilitate declining areas, innovate and roll out high-quality services that build on a multicultural heritage, says a resolution passed by a large majority on 27 September. MEPs propose creating a "Europe" label to promote it as the world's top tourist destination.
Besides creating a "European quality tourism label", identifying common quality criteria, and a "European Tourism Card", with a common set of passengers' rights, Parliament advocates progressively harmonising the accommodation classification systems used in the EU and the reduced VAT rate applicable to tourism products.
To reduce tourism's detrimental impact on the environment, the Commission should promote due consideration of spatial planning, particularly in coastal areas, and encourage the use of means of transport that are kind to the environment, says the resolution drafted by Carlo Fidanza (EPP, IT).
In the short term, MEPs ask for a legislative proposal to regulate spa tourism, EU adi to rehabilitate tourist areas in decline, and a review of the directive on package tours.
By 2012, Parliament asks the Commission to present an integrated strategy, building directly on the 2010 communication, to encourage tourism that raises awareness of culture, history, religion and nature whilst offering new services in the fields of sport, promoting industrial heritage and farm tourism. These initiatives, together with rapid EU-wide access to the internet would allow sustainable jobs to be created in the regions and counter the rural exodus.
Improved mutual recognition by Member States of tourist industry qualifications could facilitate the mobility of workers and help tackle problems stemming from the seasonal nature of work in this sector and reduce the scourge of undeclared work, say MEPs.
The tourism sector, accounts for 10 % of GDP and 12 % of total employment in the EU. It is largely made up of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. The Lisbon Treaty made it a specific competence of the EU.
source: http://www.shiftmed.eu