Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-09-08-Speech-4-032"
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"en.20050908.5.4-032"2
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".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to welcome the in-depth work that has been done on the drawing up of this report and the resolution on tourism and development that is packed with interesting ideas.
As the rapporteur, Mr Cornillet, has noted, the Development Directorate-General, which is under my authority, has no specialised service for tourism issues. That obviously does not mean, though, that there are no projects in this sector. Furthermore, in his explanatory statement, the rapporteur points to the significant funding from the European Development Fund in the sector. The Commission deals with the issue of tourism in the developing countries from the point of view of aid for the private sector and the sustainable management of natural resources. Tourist promoters in the developing countries therefore have all the instruments for aid to the private sector available to them. The investment facility managed by the European Investment Bank has thereby funded several hotel projects in the ACP countries, while the PROINVEST programme provides the sector with non-financial support, such as the strengthening of capacities and the promotion of investments.
Furthermore, the European Development fund has funded hotel training schools in numerous countries to accompany the rapid development of the tourism sector. Furthermore, road, port and airport investments funded by the European Development Fund play a crucial role in the development of tourism, as well as water supply, electrification, sanitation, waste treatment and environmental conservation programmes.
Furthermore, the ecolabel system, promoted by the Commission, enables tourism entrepreneurs to obtain a label certifying that their tourism company respects environmental standards, which is important for the ecotourism market.
It is therefore very difficult to isolate purely tourist projects. The report acknowledges the transversal nature of the sector. I entirely agree with this idea. The European Union’s strategy consists of supporting the partners in their development efforts by helping them to enhance all the resources available to them, including tourism. In the case of the small island countries of the Caribbean and the Pacific, tourism is one of the only resources available. Furthermore, proper environmental management of ecosystems such as forests, coral reefs or rivers would allow these resources to be conserved and generate long-term revenue for the local population.
I agree with the points of view expressed in points 1 and 2 relating to durable or sustainable tourism. The European Union’s cooperation with its partners is aimed at promoting sustainable development based on local resources and which is respectful of the environment.
With regard to the increase in tourism projects advocated, I must point out that we must prevent the scattering of funding and, in order to achieve the maximum impact, the Commission, in agreement with the partner States, focuses its aid on a relatively limited number of sectors. These sectors are determined in joint agreement with the countries in question. Since tourism is essentially a private sector activity, the multiplication of tourist projects falls within the domain of promoters. For promoters in ACP countries, the Commission has established the Investment Facility, with a capital of EUR 2.2 billion, in order to respond to an increase in requests for funding. The Commission treats the participatory approach and the quest for adherence of the beneficiaries as one of the cardinal principles of its development policy. The private sector is consulted as recommended in point 15. As for the support for countries falling victim to natural disasters, this is already a constant of Community aid, as is the obligation to respect and protect the environment and local cultures.
We share the concerns expressed in point 30 about the training of specialised personnel on the ground in the countries in question, and we would point out that this is precisely what the Commission has always favoured. In Madagascar, for example, the Commission has established a training project that is directed at both promoters and their employees. The Commission naturally agrees on the need vigorously to combat sex tourism, especially where the victims are children, in particular by providing the judicial systems of partner countries with all the assistance they need to eradicate this scourge.
I would like to thank the European Parliament for the attention it has given the Commission’s services and you may rest assured that I will take all the necessary steps to ensure a more effective monitoring of all activities relating to tourism. Nevertheless, the Commission does not believe that a Directorate-General should be created solely responsible for tourism."@en1
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