After the High-Level Conference on Tourism in the EP in Brussels, Antonio TAJANI, EP President, expresses himself in front of the press.

Brussels

TAJANI, Antonio (EPP, IT)

press conference

competitiveness of the tourism industry (T)

Extracts from the press conference by Antonio TAJANI, EP President on the High-Level Conference on Tourism

Arrival of European Parliament Antonio Tajani

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, The Juncker Plan for investment and infrastructure and we can stress the need in the forthcoming budget to have more money available. At the moment we have 2,4 billion in the COSME programme for upgrading SMEs. I would thought that at the very least we would be able to double the provisions in the COSME programme, so imagine around 6 or 7 billion. It is true that the EU Budget will be cut because the UK will no longer be part of the Union but we can just support SMEs in the tourism sector with the COSME programme. We can envisage multiplying a bit resources up to three times.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, You can continue in the same course, we are undertaking the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2014-2020, for example for building infrastructure you can combine regional funds, structural funds, with funds provided by the Brussels programme, you can add some private money to the mix with agreement regarding the rules.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Digitalisation is crucial but pay attention. Also on tourism we need to have good rules because Google, Amazon and the other platforms are working against our competition rules. For this we need to put under control these platforms, also in the tourism sector.

SOUNDBITE (English), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Regarding Ryanair, since we have rules for passenger in the EU that applies to everyone, they have to be respected wherever the company is based in the EU. Since EU law outweighs national law, passenger have the same rights. Wherever airport they are, whether is a low cost or any other, they always have to respect citizens rights, the rights of consumers and passengers.