Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It is unclear how this reference will be
expressed in terms of policy or priority objec-
tives but it serves the purpose of giving some
indication of the type of action that will and will
not be taken. It is vague yet specific enough to
satisfy all members, noncommittal for the scep-
tics, yet promising enough for the enthusiasts.
Themainimplicationofthearticleisthatfor
the first time there is legitimacy in the EU
actions for tourism. The language and style that
has been adopted in all documentation since
the 2001 communication 'Working Together for
the Future of European Tourism' (CEC, 2001)
is also evident here. The emphasis on coopera-
tion and good practice is common, as is the
avoidance of talk of harmonization or substitu-
tion of member states' involvement. Arguably
the reference also reflects the prevalence of
the sponsorship/ framework-policy approach as
a strategy for the future EU involvement in
tourism.
The EU Constitution is an important mile-
stone, as, at least in theory, it establishes how
decision-making powers are going to be divided
between the national and supranational levels
for a significant length of time. Despite the fact
that this reference is not unproblematic, it still
constitutes the very first document where a spe-
cific course of action is implied and a clear divi-
sion of power is attempted and is the first step
towards the establishment of a framework or
strategy for tourism. In addition, it is a reference
that all heads of state have committed to regard-
less of how they have felt in the past about EU
tourism involvement.
However, the EU Constitution will only
become binding once it has been ratified by all
member states. At the moment of writing only
six of the 25 member states have ratified the
Constitution (Greece, Spain, Italy, Lithuania,
Hungary and Slovenia). Concerns have been
expressed that a climate of negativity towards
the Constitution is prevailing even in some of the
more pro-European member states such as
France (Anon, 2005). There is obviously still a
long way to go and it is unclear what the future of
the Constitution and the EU would be should
several member states reject it. Whatever the
future may hold, it would be a great irony if the
one and only treaty document that expresses for-
mally and for the first time a real commitment to
tourism is the one that fails to be ratified.
Conclusions
The aim of this chapter was to provide examples
of EU's involvement in tourism and to discuss
potential areas of involvement as these have
been suggested in the tourism literature and were
identified by institutional stakeholders.
First of all, it was demonstrated that even in
an institutional setting as evolved and sophisti-
cated as the EU, member states retain their
prominence as the key figures, which shape the
integration process. This analysis indicated that
an implicit policy created by the impact of other
policy areas rather than an explicitly stated
policy or strategy for tourism is in place. A type
of 'creeping competence' has taken shape and
form by the decisions and activities of other pol-
icy areas. This though, has happened with little
or no consideration of tourism priorities and
tourism interests are incapable of shaping this
implicit policy (Anastasiadou, 2004a). By not
assigning a competence and, thus, responsi-
bility to the EU, the tourism agenda seems to be
placed firmly on the backburner. Consequently,
the impacts of regulation from other policy
areas on tourism might always be an after-
thought rather than a consideration at the onset
of policy-making.
The literature had argued that a tourism
policy at the EU level was necessary, as the exist-
ing support framework is inadequate. The insti-
tutional stakeholders also agreed that greater EU
involvement was needed, but suggested that
an approach based on complementary and sub-
sidiary action to that undertaken at the national
level would constitute a better approach. The dif-
ference in their views seemed to lie in how much
more involvement would be necessary, ranging
from establishing a joint policy to joint promotion
campaigns with no policy implications.
The European Constitution has presented
tourism interests with the opportunity to have
tourism included on the EU agenda on equal
terms as other policies and it constitutes a
long anticipated expression of greater commit-
ment to tourism. In attempting to establish a
complementary competence, the EU has tried
to carve for itself a little niche where it can
develop its strategies in tandem with those of its
member states and, on the face of it, it appears
to have done so successfully. Having tourism
reinstated in the final version of the Constitution
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