Meeting on Wednesday 17 June for a plenary debate on the current crisis in the tourism sector, MEPs gave the Transport Commissioner, Adina Vălean, a thorough briefing.
In particular, the Commission’s management of the crisis in the tourism sector has been called into question on several occasions. Regarding the publication of guidelines last May (see EUROPE 12486/5, 12486/6, 12486/7), the main measure dedicated to the sector, the RCE Group, in particular, considered that such recommendations were insufficient.
José Bauzá Díaz (Renew Europe, Spanish), for his part, assured that the Commission had made tourism a “secondary sector”.
He regretted that “for months you have been telling us that the EU depends on transport and tourism, but we don’t need these commitments any more, because all these good words are not followed by deeds”, he said, accusing the Commission of having “improvised” and of being deaf to MEPs’ calls for a common strategy for the sector.
“Reshaping” tourism
All groups, with the exception of RCE and ID, stressed the need for such a strategy.
The EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL had already detailed this request in a motion for a resolution on ‘Transport and tourism in 2020 and beyond’ (see EUROPE 12508/10), which will be put to the vote on Friday 19 June. However, they took advantage of the presence of Mrs Vălean in the Chamber to present their specifications.
Tilly Metz, speaking on behalf of the Greens/EFA group, said the crisis was a “unique opportunity to reshape the very concept of tourism” and defended “sustainable and ecological tourism”, pleading for “good working conditions” for employees in the sector and for “a healthy environment”.
Elena Kountoura (GUE/NGL), for her part, advocated support for SMEs, so that bankruptcies, price distortion and business takeovers are avoided.
The commissioner indicated that she heard the members’ call. However, she only promised them a strategy “for sustainable and intelligent transport”, expected by the end of the year.
Convincing Member States
The issue of EU funding for the tourism sector as well as for the transport sector has also been tabled on several occasions.
Already last week, MEPs had expressed their disappointment to the Commission over its announcements on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the post-Covid-19 recovery plan (see EUROPE 12501/8).
With regard to the sums that the Commission plans to grant to the 27 Member States through the Recovery and Resilience Facility, according to national plans, the Commissioner therefore undertook to “devote all my efforts to convincing the States to use the Community instruments available to increase liquidity and set themselves on the road to recovery”. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)