The EPP adopted on Wednesday 27 May its position for the debate to be held this Thursday in the Transport Committee (TRAN) of the European Parliament on the Commission’s guidelines for resuming travel and boosting tourism in the EU (see EUROPE 12486/5, 12486/6, 12486/7).
These guidelines, published on 13 May, were welcomed by the group. On the subject of the return to mobility, it is calling for the implementation of a European mechanism to establish a common threshold for the lifting or introduction of travel restrictions.
It also asserts that “as a matter of urgency, standards and detailed protocols should be established and made internationally accepted for common hygiene measures for the different transport modes” and calls on the EU to ensure the immediate implementation of the air passenger safety guidelines presented last week (see EUROPE 12492/5).
The EPP has the same request concerning tourist accommodations: it intends to call for the creation of a European sanitary label “guaranteeing the highest hygiene and safety standards in tourism facilities”.
It also recommends the publication of an action plan to anticipate possible negative developments in the epidemiological situation.
With regard to the revival of the transport and tourism sectors, the group intends to ask the Commission for a roadmap to reduce the administrative burdens on SMEs.
It also reiterates its call for a comprehensive strategy for the tourism sector, “supported by a specific budget line in the next MFF”.
Finally, the EPP is calling for additional financial support for the sector to be included in the recovery plan - based on “the share of tourism and travel on Member States’ GDP” - and for the flexibility currently available to States with regard to State aid to be maintained until the end of 2021 for the tourism sector.
See the full EPP position: https://bit.ly/3grayVi (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)