Spain, Germany, France and Italy to Strengthen European Industry and Tourism Competitiveness

International

Berlin Declaration highlights innovation, sustainability, and the role of tourism in Europe’s industrial future

Seventeen European countries, including Spain, have signed the Berlin Declaration, a joint commitment to boost the competitiveness of Europe’s industry and tourism sectors. The declaration was adopted during the revived high-level “Friends of Industry” ministerial meeting, focusing on industrial sovereignty, technological leadership, decarbonisation, critical raw materials and sustainable economic growth.

The Spanish Minister for Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, emphasised that “Europe needs a united industry to meet the scale of the opportunities before us. Together, we must provide a reliable framework and fresh impetus for growth, innovation, and competitiveness.”

A Framework for Growth and Sustainable Tourism

The Berlin Declaration gives continuity to the Draghi Report, recognising that Europe must reinforce its economic sovereignty, technological capacity, and innovation leadership. Beyond the industrial sphere, the Declaration underscores the importance of tourism as a strategic sector, driving investment, regional cohesion and the green transition across Europe.

For Spain, tourism remains a key vector of economic resilience. The declaration supports simplifying European administrative procedures, ensuring more flexibility for companies—particularly SMEs in tourism, transport, and hospitality—to innovate and adapt to digital and environmental transformation.

Key Priorities of the Declaration

Reducing bureaucracy and boosting digitalisation – The text calls for a simpler regulatory framework and for applying artificial intelligence to enhance productivity and sustainability across sectors, including travel and tourism services.

Developing European leadership markets – A coordinated approach to decarbonisation and sustainable production, supporting low-carbon materials and promoting EU-certified product labels that display carbon footprints. Public procurement and European funding mechanisms will be used strategically to drive sustainable industries and destinations.

Strengthening resilience and innovation – The declaration advocates creating a European Defence Innovation Agency to harness dual-use technologies and reinforce industrial value chains, including those linked to logistics and mobility – key infrastructures for tourism competitiveness.

Promoting green mobility – It calls for the deployment of low- and zero-emission vehicles and the expansion of hydrogen and charging infrastructure, essential for both manufacturing and tourism transport networks across Europe.

Shared European Vision

The Declaration, signed by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain, reflects a shared vision: to build a more innovative, sustainable and competitive Europe, where industry and tourism evolve hand in hand as twin drivers of prosperity and environmental responsibility.