Cruise Industry asks for support on five key priorities, including Visa Code Review
Brussels, 3 November 2014 – CLIA Europe, the association representing Europe’s multibillion-euro cruise industry, welcomes the new college of Commissioners which took office on 1st November.
CLIA Europe’s Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said:
“CLIA Europe warmly welcomes the new college of Commissioners, in particular the new Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc, the new Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella and the new Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete. We are looking forward to work together towards more jobs, sustainable growth and investment.
“We support Mr Junker’s commitment to enhance Europe’s competitiveness, ensure the efficiency of Europe’s transport infrastructure and ensure that the necessary regulatory conditions are in place to promote investment.”
Robert Ashdown, CLIA Europe’s Secretary General, added:
“Despite the economic crisis, the cruise industry continues to make a positive difference in Europe, delivering €39.4 billion in economic output last year and generating 339, 000 badly-needed jobs.[1]
“We are calling on the New Commission to help us contribute even more to Europe’s economy, by ensuring the right EU framework to exploit the potential of cruising within the European maritime tourism sector.”
In particular, CLIA Europe asks for support for action on five key priorities for the next five years, set out in our recent CLIA Europe Manifesto for the new EU Institutions:
- Tourism and travel facilitation: deliver a new Visa Code which helps Europe remain the world’s number 1 tourist destination.
- Passenger rights and consumer protection: provide a reformed Package Travel Directive that will increase legal certainty for both consumers and business accross the EU.
- Environment: ensure future environmental regulation is simple to administer, cost-effective, proportionate, and recognises the international nature of shipping.
- Taxation: ensure the regulatory framework does not act as a barrier to the future growth potential of the cruise industry.
- Employment: ensure future measures take into account the specific nature of jobs at sea, the international nature of shipping, and the importance of ILO’s new Maritime Labour Convention.
CLIA Europe strongly believes that there is a need to address these challenges to ensure Europe is a good place to do business, and is ready to work together with all partners, stakeholders and regulators to help cruising remain a constant and growing source of jobs and income in Europe.
About CLIA
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is the world’s largest cruise industry trade association with representation in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australasia. CLIA represents the interests of cruise lines, travel agents, port authorities and destinations, and various industry business partners before regulatory and legislative policy makers. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research and marketing communications to promote the value and desirability of cruise holiday vacations with thousands of travel agency and travel agent members. CLIA’s Associate Member and Executive Partner programs include the industry’s leading providers of supplies and services that help cruise lines provide a safe, environmentally-friendly and enjoyable holiday vacation experience for millions of passengers every year. For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and CLIA-member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit www.cruising.org. For more information on CLIA Europe, visit www.cliaeurope.eu. CLIA can also be followed on the Cruise Lines International Association’s Facebook and Twitter fan pages, and CEO Christine Duffy can be followed @CLIACEO and cruising.org/ceoblog
