Sustainable Tourism Law

FROM TOURISM TO SUSTAINABLE TOURISM 55 Law – is influenced by the policies of the European Union, by International Convention and by International Organizations. Let’s start with the EU. Tourism and the European Union The policy of the European Union vis-à-vis tourism has evolved in during the course of time. The Treaty establishing the European Communities of 1957 did not provide any reference to tourism. However, pursuing the fundamental aims of the Treaty and the progressive realization of the four fundamental freedoms (free movement of people, goods, capital, businesses) has created over time the preconditions for starting a greater consideration of the Tourist phenomenon itself. In the 1980s, community organizations began to understand that promoting tourism meant fostering the integration of people of the European Union, perhaps even more – I believe – than obtaining technical harmonization 32 . Tourism, in other words, unites. By the Council Decision of 22 December 1986, no. 86/664 / EEC, the Advisory Committee on Tourism was established. A “Tourism Unit” was included in the Commission’s DG. A budget line was set up to provide a Community contribution to the promotional efforts made jointly by the Member States on markets outside the Community. The Maastricht Treaty (1992) introduces a provision (t) of Article 3), which authorizes the adoption, in the framework of other policies, of guidance and development measures in the tourism sector 33 . It was a small contribution, but – like the saying goes – it was better than nothing. In November 1997, a European Conference on Tourism and Employment was held in Luxembourg before the Luxembourg European Council on Employment. On 26 November 1997 the Council of Tourism Ministers met. In 1999, at the Council of 21 June 1999, “Tourism and Employment” were discussed. It was a slow process. However, it should be noted that, while not allowing the EC Treaty to adopt its own tourism policies, the Community has worked incisively and directly into two sectors typically linked to tourism: travel and 32 Paulo RITA, Tourism in the European Union , in International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management , Vol. 12, 2000, page.434-436, 33 Maastricht Treaty, Art. 3: “For the purposes set out in Article 2, the activities of the Community shall include, as provided in this Treaty and in accordance with the timetable set aut therein: (omissis) (t) measures in the spheres of energy, civil protection and tourism.’