4 Sustainability of European tourism
| (25095)
15289/03
COM(03) 716
+ADD 1
| Commission Communication and Staff Working Paper on "Basic orientations for the sustainability of European Tourism"
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| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 21 November 2003
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| Deposited in Parliament | 27 November 2003
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| Department | Culture, Media and Sport
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 9 December 2003
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| To be discussed in Council | No date set
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Not cleared; information on progress requested
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Background
4.1 Article 2 of the European Community treaty includes the promotion
of sustainable economic development as one of the Community's
tasks. Article 3(1)(u) specifies "measures in the sphere
of…tourism" as among the Community's activities for
the purposes of Article 2. Although there is no specific legal
base for a Community tourism policy, many other EU policies for
which there are legal bases are relevant to tourism (for example,
policies on the environment, transport, trade, employment, regional
development and so on).
4.2 In 2001, the tourist industry accounted for 5%
of the EU's Gross Domestic Product. Tourism is forecast to continue
to grow substantially. The Commission has recognised its importance
in publications such as "Working together for the future
of European tourism".[10]
But, as well as the benefits it brings, tourism poses significant
risks to the environment, the cultural heritage and the efficient
use of resources. Against this background, the Commission conducted
consultations between April and the end of July 2003 on policy
options for the sustainable development of tourism.
The document
4.3 The Communication argues that some aspects of
mass tourism are not consistent with the principles of sustainable
development.[11] The
concentration of tourism in the summer months and at particular
destinations leads to overcrowding and poor quality in peak periods
and to overcapacity and unemployment outside the peaks. Tourism
distorts transport provision and operation (leisure-tourism accounts
for half of medium and long-distance transport) and contributes
to climate change. The Communication's objective is "to promote
further progress towards the sustainability of tourism…..stimulating
multi-stakeholder efforts to this end across all territorial and
administrative levels, and to outline how the Community and other
stakeholders can contribute further".
4.4 Last year, the Commission identified four policy
options and invited comments on them from all interested parties.
The options are:
- A. a comprehensive Community
policy on tourism;
- B. no action by the EU;
- C. relying on existing initiatives inside and
outside the Community (for example, those of the United Nations
Environment Programme, the World Tourism Organisation, Member
States, regional and local authorities and the industry itself);
and
- D. reinforcing the existing EU framework and
improving it with suitable measures.
The Commission paper (ADD 1), which accompanies the
Communication, comments in detail on the expected impacts of these
four options and analyses the views of the bodies which replied
to the consultation document.
4.5 Options A and B were not supported by Member
States. Option A raised acute questions of subsidiarity and proportionality.
Option B was thought to be inconsistent not only with the scale
of the challenge posed by tourism but also with the EU's policy
on sustainable development. Option C, on its own, would be insufficient
to deal with some of the problems caused by tourism. Option D,
however, would combine the benefits of existing initiatives with
action to deal with aspects not fully covered by them.
4.6 Accordingly, the Commission's preference is for
option D. This would involve reinforcing and improving the existing
framework by, among other things:
- Creating a Tourism Sustainability
Group comprising representatives of "stakeholders" (such
as tour operators, transport operators and other providers as
well as Member States, local and regional authorities, consumer
groups and non-governmental organisations). The Group would draw
up a programme for action by the stakeholders, evaluate implementation
of the programme and monitor the sustainability of the development
of tourism.
- Cooperation with international bodies such as
the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the World
Tourist Organisation, the United Nations Environment Programme
and the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives.
- Improving consumers', the industry's and public
authorities' understanding of sustainable tourism. Promoting the
exchange of information on such matters as best practice and analytical
techniques.
- Using Impact Assessments to identify any EU initiative
likely to affect tourism and employing the results to improve
the effectiveness of all relevant EU measures to promote sustainable
tourism development.
4.7 The Commission wishes to begin implementation
of these measures in 2004. It expects to make a progress report
in the autumn of 2005.
The Government's view
4.8 The Minister for Tourism at the Department for
Culture, Media and Sport (Mr Richard Caborn) says that the Government
believes that decisions on tourism policy should be made at a
national level and at the level of the UK's Devolved Administrations.
The role of the European Commission should be restricted to supporting
national policies.
4.9 The Minister tells us that option D is the Government's
preferred policy option. He notes that many EU programmes include
a tourism dimension or have an impact on tourism. He sees it as
one of the Commission's key tasks to ensure that the interests
of tourism are taken into account in the preparation of any legislation,
policies and programmes which may affect the tourism sector.
4.10 The Government agrees with the Commission that
tourism offers great potential to boost employment and growth.
The Minister adds:
"We welcome the strengthening of existing initiatives
providing that measures are subject to subsidiarity. We welcome
opportunities to work with other stakeholders but again only provided
that subsequent action is subject to the principles of subsidiarity.
"The Communication also makes reference to launching
a European multi-stakeholder Monitoring and Steering Group …..We
remain to be convinced of the value of such a group at pan-European
level given the diversity of European Tourism and European destinations…..We
believe that any activity undertaken at Community level must add
value and effectiveness".
4.11 The Minister notes that the Communication does
not contain any legislative proposals and has no immediate expenditure
implications. He also tells us that the Devolved Administrations
have been consulted about the Communication.
Conclusion
4.12 Tourism has benefits for the economy, for
employment and for consumers. But the Commission is right to draw
attention to the risks and to the need to ensure, so far as possible,
that the sector develops in a sustainable way. Accordingly, we
regard the Communication as being of political importance.
4.13 We commend the Commission for its thorough
impact assessment of the four policy options it identified. We
also welcome the Commission's intention to apply such impact assessments
to all existing and proposed EU measures which could affect the
tourism sector and contribute to its sustainable development.
4.14 We share the Government's view that any measures
taken by the Commission should be consistent with the principle
of subsidiarity and should be adopted only if they are likely
to add value. We also share the Minister's scepticism about the
proposal to set up a new Tourism Sustainability Group with wide
responsibilities. We have decided, therefore, to keep the document
under scrutiny until there have been Working Group discussions
about the proposal for the Group and it is known whether the Commission
wishes to persevere with it. We ask the Minister to keep us informed
of the progress of the discussions.
10 (22945) 13975/01; see HC 152-xii (2001-02), para
19 (16 January 2002). Back
11
The World Tourism Organisation's definition is that "Sustainable
tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host
regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future.
It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such
a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled
while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes,
biological diversity and life-support systems". Back
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