Tourism and transport in 2020 and beyond

Key points:

The EESC:

• believes that the European Commission Communication on Tourism and transport in 2020 and beyond (COM(2020) 550 final) should be a strategic policy tool for rethinking the EU sustainable model of tourism and transport;
• calls for a comprehensive package of measures, with guidelines and recommendations aimed at:
  • the safe restoration of transport and connectivity following the adoption of a common political framework agreement for all EU Member States;
  • establishing an EU common strategic plan to help the Member States implement economic and support measures for tourism SMEs, restaurants, hotels, travel agencies, tour guides, etc.
  • pending a vaccine, establishing a EU health passport, with a harmonised Passenger Locator Form (PLF) and QR codes combined with a multilingual Health Assistance Platform.
  • establishing immediately a European mechanism for monitoring the implementation of support measures for SMEs and workers, particularly liquidity, lending and transparency in support measures;
• asks for intensive social dialogue and a substantial policy agenda which are are urgently needed to negotiate updated sectoral collective agreements for the tourism and transport sectors. These include SMEs and representative SME organisations most affected by COVID-19.

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat.