Chinese tourism law

27.3.2014

Question for written answer E-003846-14
to the Commission
Rule 117
Paolo Bartolozzi (PPE) , Sergio Berlato (PPE) , Franco Bonanini (NI) , Mario Borghezio (NI) , Susy De Martini (ECR) , Franco Frigo (S&D) , Barbara Matera (PPE) , Claudio Morganti (EFD) , Cristiana Muscardini (ECR) , Alfredo Pallone (PPE) , Crescenzio Rivellini (PPE) , Oreste Rossi (PPE) , Giancarlo Scottà (EFD) , Marco Scurria (PPE) , Sergio Paolo Francesco Silvestris (PPE) , Giommaria Uggias (ALDE) , Iva Zanicchi (PPE)

Last October a new law on tourism came into force in China. It defines the rules which Chinese tourists must obey when visiting another country. It also seeks to consolidate the rights of tourists with a view to preventing unfair competition and to regulating admission prices to attractions in the destination country.

The new regulatory framework is designed to counter the practice of ‘negative-fare tours’, apparently widespread in countries of the region (Taiwan, New Zealand and South Korea).

These are package tours sold at prices well below cost, in the expectation that shopping in pre-agreed districts or shops, not on the official tour programme, will make up the difference.

The principle of combating illegal practices and safeguarding the rights of Chinese tourists is quite right. But the new law on tourism applies it universally, even to other tourist destinations in the world where the practices in question do not occur, and never have done.

As a result, Chinese tour prices have risen significantly. This could lead to reduced visitor numbers and therefore discriminate against, and penalise, certain countries and areas, especially in Europe.

The EU is committed to reviving and expanding the tourism sector as a resource in its recovery from recession, and the large numbers of inbound tourists from China are valuable to the European markets. China is a source of tourism on a world-leading scale, with around 3 billion potential tourists and accounting for over 7% of the global market.

1. Could the Commission take steps to check that the Chinese authorities have not introduced the provisions of the law in question deliberately to discourage trips to Europe and shopping there, and therefore to discriminate against European companies and products and their supplier industries?

2. Can it explain what means it has at its disposal to counter possible deliberate discrimination?

3. Can it give due consideration to the situation and raise the matter in the appropriate negotiations?

OJ C 357, 09/10/2014