European Union: Regulation on travelling with pets

On 16 June the European Commission adopted a proposal according to which transitional animal health requirements applicable to the movement of pet animals travelling with their owners to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom are to be extended until 31 December 2011. The proposal will be discussed by the European Parliament and the Council, with a view to formal adoption through the co-decision procedure.

In accordance with the current rules laid down in Regulation (EC) 998/2003 (known as the "Pet Regulation"), pet dogs, cats and ferrets travelling with their owner for non-commercial movements to another Member State must be accompanied by a passport or, when imported from a third country, by a certificate providing proof of a valid anti-rabies vaccination.

The Regulation also grants a transitional period expiring 30 June 2010 to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom to make the entry of pet animals into their territory subject to compliance with certain additional requirements in relation with rabies, the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis or ticks (the "transitional regime").

The Commission considers that the conditions for moving to a fully harmonised set of rules throughout the EU that would avoid unnecessary burden for travellers are almost entirely fulfilled.

Source: European Commission, DG Health and Consumers, Health & Consumer Voice July 2009 Edition

More information at:
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/277&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN

World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Report Highlights the Importance of Environmental Sustainability

Switzerland, Austria and Germany have the most attractive environments for developing the travel and tourism industry, according to the second annual Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2008, released today by the World Economic Forum. Australia, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, Sweden, Canada and France complete the top-10 list. The rankings cover 130 countries around the world.
Improvements have been made to the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) this year. The “environmental regulation” pillar has been revised and improved as well as being re-named the “environmental sustainability” pillar to better reflect its components and to capture the increasingly recognized importance of sustainability in the sector’s development.
The TTCI measures the factors and policies that make it attractive to develop the T&T sector in different countries. It is composed of 14 pillars of travel and tourism competitiveness:

1. Policy rules and regulations
2. Environmental sustainability
3. Safety and security
4. Health and hygiene
5. Prioritization of travel and tourism
6. Air transport infrastructure
7. Ground transport infrastructure
8. Tourism infrastructure
9. Information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure
10. Price competitiveness
11. Human capital
12. Affinity for travel & tourism
13. Natural resources
14. Cultural resources

This cross-country analysis of the drivers of competitiveness in travel and tourism provides useful comparative information for making business decisions and additional value to governments wishing to improve their travel and tourism environments.

Source: World Economic Forum; read full press release here.

Note that "Policy rules and regulations" is regarded the first pillar - thus in my opinion emphasising the importance of a legal frame i.e. travel and tourism law.