The EU ministers responsible for tourism met by videoconference on Monday 28 September for an informal exchange of views aimed at assessing the conditions necessary to allow more private and business travel in Europe.
“We want to keep travel restrictions to a minimum and give European citizens maximum freedom to travel without neglecting health protection requirements”, German State Secretary for Tourism Thomas Bareiß, who chaired the meeting, told the press.
Mr Bareiß said that three priorities had been identified by the ministers, who are determined to help the tourism industry overcome the crisis it is experiencing. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, this industry accounted for about 10% of the EU’s GDP and supported 12% of its citizens.
They intend, first of all, to “do their utmost” to avoid future border closures and to ensure continuity of travel, while making sure stricter health measures are put in place where necessary. In particular, Ministers called for a region-by-region approach to the issue.
They also called for closer coordination within the EU on travel recommendations, quarantines, and testing. “It is very important that we also put more emphasis on the need for common criteria”, (see EUROPE 12556/19), Bareiß told the press.
Kerstin Jorna, Director of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Internal Market (DG GROW), noted that the ministers had stressed the important role of the EU in coordination.
At the beginning of September, she pointed out, the Commission took the first steps towards such cooperation by inviting the Member States to agree on identical health criteria and travel restrictions (see EUROPE 12553/1).
Future of the sector. Finally, the ministers hope to see tourism - a sector mainly made up of SMEs, many of which are now threatened with bankruptcy - emerge “strengthened” from this crisis.
For this, more funding will be needed, Mr Bareiß noted. A point regularly raised by MEPs in recent months. Indeed, although tourism is an EU competence, the European budget has no specific line dedicated to this sector (see EUROPE 12566/12).
“We must actively support the tourism industry during the coming structural change”, the German State Secretary also stressed.
Referring also to the need for a “long-term vision”, Kerstin Jorna confirmed that several ideas had been proposed in this respect on Monday, in anticipation of the European Tourism Convention promised by Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton (see EUROPE 12471/6), which is due to take place on 12 October.
This event, said Mrs Jorna, will provide an opportunity for a “rich debate”, particularly on the issues of sustainable tourism and the digital revolution in the sector. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)