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The European Commission’s Tourism Unit

International relations

​​​​​​Integrated into DG GROW – Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, the European Commission's Tourism Unit is one of the 44 units that make up this Directorate-General. Its aim is to develop dialogue and partnerships with sector representatives and to coordinate European policies focusing on tourism.

Although tourism has had a specific legal basis since the Lisbon Treaty (December 2007), it does not benefit from an autonomous financing line within the current financial framework; this is ​​one of the goals that Tourism Unit has been targeting within the Commission, as well as some Member States, including Portugal.  

​​​​​The European Commission's Tourism Unit aims to develop dialogue and partnerships with sector representatives and to coordinate European policies focusing on tourism.

// Tourism Advisory Committee – TAC
The role of the Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) is to facilitate the exchange of information, consultation and cooperation between the National Tourism Administrations of the Member States and the European Commission. 
The TAC is made up of representatives ​of the National Tourism Administrations of the Member States, who contribute information on tourism policy measures developed at national level. The Committee meets at least twice a year; Portugal is represented by Turismo de Portugal.

Initiatives of the European Commission​

// European Tourism Forum
A high-level annual event organised jointly by the European Commission and the country holding the Council presidency during the second half of the year. The Forum’s goal is to bring together the main public and private stakeholders in the sector to discuss and disseminate best practices in relation to a particular topic of interest to tourism.

// European Capital of Smart Tourism
The European Capital of Smart Tourism is an initiative of the European Commission, which awards annual prizes to the European cities (with more than 100,000 inhabitants) that most distinguish themselves in four areas: sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation as well as cultural heritage and creativity. The initiative has so far had two editions: in 2019 and 2020.

// EDEN (European Destinations of Excellence)
This European Commission initiative aims at promoting sustainable tourism models in the European Union.
The EDEN initiative is based on competitions that take place every two years, open to all Member States. The theme of the 9th edition, in 2019, was Health and Wellness Tourism.

// Virtual Tourism Observatory
An information tool developed by the European Commission. Studies, statistical analyses and reports of interest to the sector are made available on a regular basis.

// European Tourism Day
An annual event held in Brussels, which brings together about 400 participants with the aim of exchanging information and opinions, addressing new challenges and opportunities for EU tourism, and sharing good practices in turning challenges into opportunities.  Unfortunately, in 2019 and 2020, the European Commission did not develop any activities on this thematic day.
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  • Cooperation
  • Foreign policy
  • Institutional affairs
  • Turismo de Portugal
  • European Commission
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