Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001022/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Stefano Cavedagna (ECR)
Authorities in Emilia-Romagna recently announced the first-ever Italian regional initiative that will focus exclusively on LGBTQ+ tourism. The project will be run in conjunction with specialised operators and involve the adoption of protocols and certification schemes, as well as the organisation of training initiatives for tour operators.
The initiative’s stated objective is to turn Emilia-Romagna into the destination of choice for LGBTQ+ tourists by providing tailored services for this demographic.
Given that publicly-funded initiatives that promote tourism should be predicated on equality and inclusion and should not give preferential treatment to tourists based on sexual orientation, and given also that Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union prohibits any form of discrimination, could the Commission answer the following questions:
- 1.Are public initiatives which exclusively target a tourist demographic on the basis of sexual orientation compatible with EU laws on non-discrimination and fair competition?
- 2.Could the Commission check whether any EU funds have been allocated to this project – which, despite claiming to be inclusive, risks excluding other tourist demographics – and, if this is indeed the case, how they have or will be used?
Submitted: 10.3.2025