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2019 EU ELECTIONS
WHITE PAPER FOR
HOSPITALITY IN EUROPE
TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE
TOURISM IN EUROPE
otrecEP electionswhite paperUKBAT.indd 1
08/02/2019 14:54
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2018
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2019 HOTREC ANNUAL REPORT
On 23-26 May 2019, the European Parliamentary elections took place
across Europe, allowing EU citizens to elect their new European Parliament
and to launch a new legislative period of European policy-making for the
next 5 years. To sustain the positive trend for the hospitality and tourism
sector developed in the previous term, HOTREC released for the European
elections its White Paper for Hospitality in Europe.
A White Paper which communicates the hospitality
industry’s 5 key priorities for the EU for 2019-2024
Following some key achievements over the legislativemandate 2014-2019
(e.g. the first EU policy steps on the collaborative economy, new legislation
to make fairer and more platforms practices towards businesses and
consumers, securing low VAT rates for tourism in the future), HOTREC
proposes 5 key priorities to the EU institutions for the next EU mandate:
•
‘Collaborative’ economy: the hospitality sector calls to further level
the playing field between the more and more professionalised short-
term rental and meal sharing activities and other regulated hospitality
services;
•
A Better Regulation agenda with a new thinking on subsidiarity and
exerting EU competences is needed. European legislative action
shall focus on large cross-border issues, while the sectoral impact of
horizontal legislation should be better taken into account and mitigate
impacts on businesses operating only locally;
•
Digital: the outdated EU regulatory framework on platforms’
liability (e.g. E-commerce Directive) should be revised to recognise
the increasing role they play on digital markets, businesses and
consumers;
•
Food policy: voluntary initiatives on diet, nutrition and lifestyles for local
food services shall be fostered instead of horizontal EU legislation;
•
Social Affairs: the fight against skills shortage shall be made a truly
EU case. Among others, the rapid digital evolution is requiring digital
skills, which are often lacking among the hospitality workforce. A
strong EU policy should help to innovate, attract, train and retain the
workforce.
Sustain a close cooperation to achieve sustainable tourism
in Europe
HOTREC and the European hospitality sector are looking forward to
sustaining its cooperation and partnership with the newly elected
Members of the European Parliament and the European Commission.
These proposals are a testimony of the sector’s willingness to offer to
EU decision-makers solutions to achieve together a sustainable tourism
development in Europe.
HOTREC unveiled its policy priorities for
the next EU legislative mandate 2019-2024
HOTREC’s White Paper
offers concrete solutions
to EU policy-makers to
achieve a sustainable
tourism development