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Florence, May 18th
2013
SAFE HOST Conference “ Social Parts united against sexual exploitation of children in the
tourism sector”
Speech by Lucia Anile, vice President of EBNT
Greetings everyone,
First of all I'd like to thank Filcams-CGIL and the partners of the SAFE HOST project, which here
today represent an interesting project, well described by those before me and that by the title itself
we may understand how important it is: “to support European social parts in the struggle against
sexual exploitation of children in the tourism sector”.
An important topic, and the speeches before me have explained well how and why sex tourism is a
social disease that must be destroyed, since it is the third illegal trafficking in order of importance,
after drugs and weapons, and it is considered a worldwide phenomenon. It is therefore a kind of
tourism that has dire consequences both socially and culturally, in destination and origin countries,
especially in those situations where age, gender, social and economic condition differences are
exploited.
I agree with the fact that bilaterality may and must strengthen its role of social protection, and I am
convinced that quality of social and institutional support offered to social parts likely constitutes a
key factor, thanks to their direct knowledge of the sector and of the dynamics rotating around it. I
therefore believe that social parts are appropriately capable of contributing concretely to the
struggle against this phenomenon.
As a representative of the National Bilateral Tourism Organisation (EBNT), I have the role of
illustrating the initiatives and experiences realized by the EBNT, specifying that my speech will
taken in account the first four “Reports” produced by the Observatory, since the “fifth Report” will
be presented tomorrow by Doc. Stefano Landi, President of the SL&A Institute, taking care of our
behalf of the Observatory.
Most of all, I want to specify that EBNT is a joint institutions established in 1991 by the national
trade union associations and employer associations. It is a tool to perform activities identified by the
signatories of the national labour contract for the tourism sector, regarding employment, labour
market, training and vocational training.
Among the various activities performed, it has the task of promoting study activities, research and
experimentation, and it has actually established many observatories useful for the sector, among
which the national observatory for the implementation of law 269/98 and of the Code of Conduct of
19th
July 2003 inherent to the national labour contract for the tourism sector. The observatory was
established in 2009, and in the years it has deeply evolved: the first Report was drafted with the
intention of monitoring the impact of actions carried out in Italy to fight against sex tourism against
children.
For this reason it has focused on the issue, applying a survey field to the universe of tour operators
in Italy. The result has highlighted some unresolved issues, among which it stands out particularly a
lack of implementation of what is provided for by the law, which obliges to inform customers that
the Italian law punishes crimes inherent to child prostitution even if committed abroad; the second
Report has updated the data and extended it to international comparison, and to the annual results of
2010 which showed some improvements, except some specific considerations referred to European
nations; the third report relative to 2011 has effectuated a new type of extension, enlarging the field

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of view to other subjects of the tourism supply chain, taking in exam also air companies, hotel
chains and airport managing companies, the registered scenario has highlighted a discomforting
data, due to the behaviour identified during the contact and the interview, where most of the
subjects, actually, have motivated their silence with declared company policies which would not
allow to talk about these topics, highlighting a lack at system level a corporate social responsibility
worthy of this name; the fourth Report relative to 2012, has developed the survey taking in account
the European Member States as a whole and taking as a point of reference norms, actions, projects
and programs of the individual States, analyzing in particular, their way to communicate and
promote destinations on catalogues, on websites and internet portals, revealing the way they deal
with clients as well.
The resulting snapshot is very interesting, and allows by the way the possibility to make a ranking
of European countries which describe their level of action and attention towards this.
We may say that the data on the Observatory confirm that Italy, has a leading position concerning
the struggle against sexual exploitation of children.
We are proud of habing contributed to the realization of the “Safe Host” project, putting at everyone
disposal a very relevant amount of information and data gathered during the years.
I believe that EBNT may have not only an important role in the promotion of responsible,
sustainable and accessible tourism for all, but also the duty to strengthen awareness regarding this
issue towards all operators in the sector. Social parts from this point of view may adopt common
strategies and additional measures to prevent this.
I hope that all private and public operators at a European level will consider the struggle against
child prostitution, child pornography and child trafficking as an issue relevant to corporate social
responsibility. For this reason, I believe it is key to adopt the Code of Conduct, as a tool of
Corporate Social Responsibility for the tourism sector, through the implementation of its
fundamental criteria, to fight efficiently against exploitation of children.