The Transport and Tourism Committee (TRAN) will play a critical role in the coming mandate by advancing Europe’s economic transition through the creation of a more resilient, better-connected and more sustainable transport sector – and will also promote sustainable and competitive tourism.
Building on our achievements in the last mandate, we must continue strengthening the transport sector through further digitalisation, greater integration and harmonisation, and by advancing the green transition. Across all modes of transport, three overarching priorities emerge: sustainability, passenger rights and safety, and enhanced connectivity.
Achieving climate neutrality by 2050 will necessitate expanding and integrating more climate-friendly transport options, such as providing alternatives to air travel and road freight through railway systems and inland waterways.
Passenger rights and safety are also priorities for the committee. We will ensure passengers have fair access to compensation for delays, cancellations and disruptions across all transportation modes. In line with the EU’s Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate fatalities on Europe’s roads by 2050, we will also work towards building a safer system for all road users.
Enhancing EU-wide multimodal transport connectivity through the Trans-European Transport Network programme is also a vital part of TRAN’s agenda for this new term. We must ensure there is sufficient funding available in the next Multiannual Financial Framework to support the significant infrastructure investments required.
With regards to tourism, one of my main priorities is to grant more prominence and visibility to the sector – a priority I have already communicated to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
My agenda for the tourism sector rests on three pillars: sustainability, the digital transition and competitiveness.
First, we must promote sustainable tourism practices in order to protect our local communities, diverse cultural heritage and unique landscapes. Second, we must expedite the digital transition to enhance the competitiveness of our SMEs and accommodate their recovery after the pandemic. And third, we need to continue strengthening the sector’s competitiveness by enhancing EU-wide connectivity through multimodal transport systems.
Ultimately these two sectors are linked. To make tourism more attractive, we must first make transportation more accessible, affordable and sustainable.
But as we pursue these initiatives to enhance tourism, we can already anticipate challenges related to balancing sustainability with growing visitor demand. Addressing mass tourism while preserving cultural heritage and local community interests will require careful management and strategic planning, considering that tourism is an important source of economic development for Europe.
Travel and tourism contribute approximately 10 per cent to Europe’s GDP, not only supporting millions of jobs but also stimulating growth across various industries, highlighting the importance of sustainable practices to ensure its long-term viability.
Enhancing our transport infrastructure to improve accessibility while aligning such developments with crucial environmental targets poses a significant challenge for tourism development. TRAN will aim to build a Europe where the transport and tourism sectors are stronger, greener and more connected than ever before.