Tourexpi
Spain, Germany, France and Italy to Strengthen European Industry and Tourism Competitiveness
Seventeen European countries, including Spain, have
signed the Berlin Declaration, a joint commitment to boost the competitiveness
of Europe’s industry and tourism sectors. The declaration was adopted during
the revived high-level “Friends of Industry” ministerial meeting, focusing on industrial
sovereignty, technological leadership, decarbonisation, critical raw materials
and sustainable economic growth.
The Spanish Minister for Industry and Tourism, Jordi
Hereu, emphasised that “Europe needs a united industry to meet the scale of the
opportunities before us. Together, we must provide a reliable framework and
fresh impetus for growth, innovation, and competitiveness.”
A Framework for Growth and Sustainable Tourism
The Berlin Declaration gives continuity to the Draghi
Report, recognising that Europe must reinforce its economic sovereignty,
technological capacity, and innovation leadership. Beyond the industrial
sphere, the Declaration underscores the importance of tourism as a strategic
sector, driving investment, regional cohesion and the green transition across
Europe.
For Spain, tourism remains a key vector of economic
resilience. The declaration supports simplifying European administrative
procedures, ensuring more flexibility for companies—particularly SMEs in
tourism, transport, and hospitality—to innovate and adapt to digital and
environmental transformation.
Key
Priorities of the Declaration
Reducing bureaucracy and boosting digitalisation – The
text calls for a simpler regulatory framework and for applying artificial
intelligence to enhance productivity and sustainability across sectors,
including travel and tourism services.
Developing European leadership markets – A coordinated
approach to decarbonisation and sustainable production, supporting low-carbon
materials and promoting EU-certified product labels that display carbon
footprints. Public procurement and European funding mechanisms will be used
strategically to drive sustainable industries and destinations.
Strengthening resilience and innovation – The
declaration advocates creating a European Defence Innovation Agency to harness
dual-use technologies and reinforce industrial value chains, including those
linked to logistics and mobility – key infrastructures for tourism
competitiveness.
Promoting green mobility – It calls for the deployment
of low- and zero-emission vehicles and the expansion of hydrogen and charging
infrastructure, essential for both manufacturing and tourism transport networks
across Europe.
Shared European Vision
The Declaration, signed by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain,
reflects a shared vision: to build a more innovative, sustainable and
competitive Europe, where industry and tourism evolve hand in hand as twin
drivers of prosperity and environmental responsibility.
Image
Credit: © Government of
Spain. Ministry of industry and tourism
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