New Perspectives For Tourism In European Union Law

Abstract

Tourism is the largest industry in the European Union. Its importance as an economically, socially and culturally cohesive element for the entire continent is indisputable. Still, attention from the European Union was late in coming, and has been based on measures that have been adapted from other local policies that are indirect influences on tourism. This has meant that the intervention of the EU in this sector has been partial, limited and at times, ineffective. The reason can be traced to the lack of a sufficient number of legal powers that were able to outline a common European policy in the Constituent Treaties. The Treaty of Lisbon has managed to fill in this void by providing legal support to a new set of European Union actions on this matter, whose development depends on whether or not Europe is capable of responding to the challenges faced by the tourism sector.