The Committee of the Regions approved, by large majority, the report drafted by the President of the Regional Government on the European Strategy for Coastal and Maritime Tourism. The document recommends to the European Commission the implementation of a series of actions and measures to boost the employment creation and wealth generation in the tourism sector of these regions.

Vasco Cordeiro's report on the Communication "A European Strategy for more Growth and Jobs in Coastal and Maritime Tourism" was approved, with one vote against and one abstention, at the plenary session of the Committee of the Regions in Brussels. This body comprises regional and local representation from the 28 Member States of the European Union.

The President of the Government was appointed rapporteur of the Committee of the Region's report on the communication of the European Commission, launched in February 2014. It falls under the Integrated Maritime Policy and the European Union's goal to boost the so-called "blue growth."

Speaking to journalists, Vasco Cordeiro stressed that either EU Commission's Communication or the Report approved today are "important components that embody the specific attention of EU institutions about the importance of coastal and marine tourism for economic growth and job creation in the various regions of Europe."

"The report reinforces some aspects that should be highlighted in the approach taken by the European Commission, such as role of regional and local authorities in the implementation of this strategy," stressed the President of the Government.

With the adoption of this report, the Committee of the Regions - advisory body of the European Commission, the Parliament and the Council - recommends several actions and measures to several European institutions so that States, Regions and companies can strengthen the position of the tourism sector as a driving force of the "blue economy." This body also recognises the fact that this is the first European strategy for coastal and maritime tourism presented by the Commission.

In this context, the report emphasises the specific role of the islands under the strategy targeted at a sector that accounts for about 3.2 million jobs in Europe, particularly with regard to accessibility, transport costs, seasonality and connectivity, as well as the impact of these realities on the tourism sector and the economy of coastal and maritime regions.

According to Vasco Cordeiro, the European Commission should, thus, "promote vocational training programmes, specifically targeted at youngsters from coastal and maritime regions, which allow the exchange of good practices and the advanced training of youngsters. These initiatives should be developed in the low season."

Moreover, the report defends that European coastal and maritime regions should invest in the implementation of specialisation strategies of their "tourism products" in order to generate added value, contribute to the increase of tourism flows, tackle seasonality and boost the creation of better qualified and paid jobs.
 
The document also stresses that the implementation of these measures requires adequate funding in the new financial framework as well as the full respect for the principle of subsidiarity, which implies the cooperation of EU institutions with various Member States, regions and stakeholders.

In this context, the document underlines the specific situation of islands and outermost regions, which, due to territorial constraints and overlapping of economic activities in coastal areas, require more assistance from EU funds in order to prevent the risks that might be detrimental to the development of economic activities.

The Committee of the Regions also defends the Commission' attention to accessibility and connectivity of islands and outermost regions as well as of other remote locations that are highly dependent on air and maritime transport, not just for tourism but also for other economic activities.

Likewise the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europeans, chaired by Vasco Cordeiro, the report recommends the creation of a European Federation of Tourism Offices for Coastal and Maritime Region, which will work as a platform for cooperation and exchange between professional bodies from coastal and maritime regions.

The Autonomous Region of the Azores has a seat in the Committee of the Regions since its inception. Currently, the Region is represented by the President of the Government at the Commission for Natural Resources and the Commission for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy.

The Committee of the Regions aims to involve regional and local authorities from all Member States in the decision-making process of the European Union.
The European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council are required to consult the Committee on political areas concerning regions.