ASSOCIATION OF GREEK TOURISM ENTERPRISES – CODE OF ETHICS

 

CHAPTER ONE

 

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

 

Ι.1. The ASSOCIATION OF GREEK TOURISM ENTERPRISES (SETE) and its Members are committed to observing a Code of Ethics in the interest of all Greek tourism enterprises and for the promotion of Greek tourism in general.

 

I.2. The institution of a Code of Ethics and conduct, in view of protecting consumers and safeguarding the level of quality provided by tourism enterprises and a spirit of cooperation between the Members of SETE, is one of the Association’s statutory objectives, and the fulfilment of such an objective is a duty of all SETE Members.

 

I.3. The rules of this Code of Ethics are agreed to be binding for the members of SETE with respect to their relations with the public and the persons that they trade with, and also in relations between SETE Members.

 

I.4. SETE shall be entitled to check that members observe the provisions of the Articles of Association and also the rules of this Code of Ethics. According to SETE’s Articles of Association, any violation of the legislation on associations and any other violation of the provisions of the Articles of Association and the Code of Ethics constitute disciplinary misconduct before the Association and entail temporary or permanent suspension from SETE, provided such a decision is made by the General Assembly following a proposal from the Board of Directors.

 

I.5. In carrying out their business activities, the members of SETE shall undertake to observe the principles of legality, integrity, dignity and solidarity, aiming at providing high-level tourism services and developing a spirit of mutual support between the members of SETE, in accordance with the Association’s Articles of Association.

 

CHAPTER TWO

 

RELATIONS BETWEEN SETE MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC

 

II.1. In carrying out their business activities, and in addition to the self-evident principle of legality, the member-enterprises of SETE shall also undertake to observe the following general principles and to train their associates accordingly: 1. Client respect and compliment. 2. Respect and care for the natural and cultural environment. 3. Knowledge, preservation and promotion of Greek and local traditions. 4. Responsibility and seriousness in relations with clients, public authorities and associates in general. 5. Discretion and protection of customer privacy, and the creation of a pleasant holiday atmosphere.

 

II.2. Information, advertisements and descriptions provided by SETE Members to third parties concerning their enterprises shall be complete, clear and precise, and shall not contain misleading information.

 

II.3. The handling of SETE clients shall correspond to the information, advertisements and descriptions provided by members as regards their enterprise.

 

ΙΙ.4. Offers made to the public, with favourable financial or other terms, shall be true and shall not conceal unfair competition.

 

II.5. Tourism facilities, land, sea and air transport means owned by SETE Members shall provide total safety, comfort, cleanliness and, as far as possible, aesthetic satisfaction to clients.

 

ΙΙ.6. Services procured during the stay, transfer and catering provided to the clients of SETE member-enterprises shall be governed by a spirit of respect and customer service, and the traditional principles of Greek hospitality shall be observed.

 

ΙΙ.7. Any products offered by SETE Members, for sale or consumption, shall be satisfactory and in compliance with current legislation and the requirements of the specific market, on a case by case basis.

 

ΙΙ.8. The clients of SETE Member enterprises shall be invoiced in a clear way and complete explanations shall be provided.

 

ΙΙ.9. The staff of SETE Member enterprises shall be suitably trained in view of satisfying the principles of this Code of Ethics, while in their personal relations the staff shall create an atmosphere of sincere willingness to serve the clients.

 

IΙ.10. In carrying out their business activities, SETE Member's enterprises shall use the SETE logo on printed material, installations and other means of promotion and advertising, as a symbol of morality and quality of facilities, products and services.

 

CHAPTER THREE

 

RELATIONS BETWEEN SETE MEMBERS

 

ΙΙΙ.1. According to the Articles of Association, SETE Members shall operate tourism enterprises in accordance with the criteria and rules of the private sector of the economy.

 

ΙΙΙ.2. The development of a spirit of cooperation and solidarity between SETE Members enterprises shall use the SETE logo on printed material, istallations and other means of promotions.

 

ΙΙΙ.3. Business relations between SETE Members shall be governed by the principles of legality, sincerity and good faith, and honest practices in business shall be applied within the framework of the free and competitive market.

 

ΙΙΙ.4. SETE Members shall refrain from actions and acts that may cause damage to the prestige and the statutory objectives of SETE, and/or may constitute unfair competition between members, e.g. unfair client solicitation, unfair exploitation of business opportunities etc.

 

ΙΙΙ.5. SETE Members shall refrain from actions and acts that may lead to the defamation of SETE members; in particular they shall observe the principle of confidentiality as regards business events or details whose announcement or exploitation would harm the interests of a SETE member or Greek tourism in general.

 

ΙΙΙ.6. SETE Members shall inform SETE and shall exchange confidential information and data concerning the Greek and foreign tourism market that they may obtain and which significantly affect the business activity of a member or members of SETE or Greek tourism in general, such as for e.g. solvency of affiliated enterprises, non-contractual conduct, violation of contractual obligations, abuse of dominant position, crises that are harmful to Greek tourism etc.

 

ΙΙΙ.7. SETE Members shall willingly exchange information and data about the previous employment and work of staff and shall refrain from unfair efforts to solicit human resources. 

 

ΙΙΙ.8. SETE Members shall willingly cooperate per sector, per location and/or in general and shall exchange views concerning the establishment of economic or pricing policy, but always subject to the principles of free competition and the avoidance of unfair cartels, in the interest of Greek tourism in general. 

 

ΙΙΙ.9. SETE Members shall respond, as far as possible and on a priority basis, to specific requests for assistance and support from other SETE members when carrying out their business activities, e.g. in cases of temporary inability, through no fault of their own, to fulfil contractual obligations before third parties, cases of over-booking, strikes etc.

 

ΙΙΙ.10. When invoicing services or the use of facilities or means of transport and/or products in general, since SETE Members cooperate with each other shall apply the best client base clause, either in the case of payment by a Member or payment to a Member of SETE.

 

CHAPTER FOUR

 

ETHICS COMMITTEE - ARBITRATION

 

IV.1. The Board of Directors of SETE shall be responsible for auditing SETE Members with respect to the observance of the Articles of Association and the Code of Ethics. According to article 30 of the Articles of Association, the Board of Directors may set up an Ethics Committee and determine the number of the Committee’s members, its competences and the internal regulation of the Committee as regards the auditing of compliance with the provisions of the Articles of Association and the Code of Ethics. 

 

IV.2. In order to avoid any judicial disputes between SETE Members when carrying out their business activities, if there are any complaints against a member based on the provisions of the Articles of Association or the Code of Ethics, SETE Members shall submit a relevant application to the Board of Directors of SETE or the Ethics Committee, provided that it has been set up. 

 

IV.3. The Board of Directors (or the Committee) shall be entitled to consider the complaints submitted by a member using any means that it considers useful, but it cannot issue a decision to audit without having asked the member who is being audited to provide explanations. If the member refuses to provide explanations, after having been asked to do so three times at intervals of 15 days, the Board of Directors (or the Committee) shall be entitled to issue a decision to audit the member and without providing any explanations apply the provisions of article 8 of the Articles of Association of SETE, which stipulates the disciplinary offences against SETE and the consequences of the same.

 

IV.4. In order to avoid any judicial disputes between them, in carrying out their business activity SETE Members shall, provided that they have concluded a contract between them, include an arbitration clause in the relevant document subjecting any dispute with respect to the specific written agreement to exclusive arbitration, with an arbitrator appointed by each member and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of SETE as mediator, and if the Chairman is not able to undertake such role, one of the Vice-Chairmen of SETE and in accordance with the rules of articles 867 et seq. of the Code of Civil Procedure. 

 

IV.5. In order to avoid any judicial disputes to the detriment of or by SETE Members  or against third parties, in exercising their business activity, provided that they enter into a written contract with third parties that are not members of SETE, SETE Members may seek to include in the relevant agreement document an arbitration clause under which they can submit any dispute relating to the specific written contract to exclusive arbitration with an arbitrator appointed by each party and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of SETE as mediator and in accordance with the rules of articles 867 et seq. of the Code of Civil Procedure.

 

IV.6. In the above cases ΙΙΙ.4 and ΙΙΙ.5, upon acceptance of the appointment the arbitrator shall declare that ………..% of the arbitrator’s fee to be determined by the arbitration decision (less expenses) shall be contributed to SETE for the fulfilment of the association’s statutory objectives.

 

IV.7. Following a proposal submitted by the Board of Directors of SETE, the General Assembly of SETE Members may decide to pursue the issuance of a Presidential Decree for the institution of permanent arbitration at SETE to deal with disputes between Members, according to article 902 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

 

CHAPTER FIVE

 

VALIDITY OF RULES - AMENDMENTS

 

V.1. This Code of Ethics shall be valid as of notification with receipt to each Member of SETE.

 

V.2. This Code of Ethics may be amended freely by the Board of Directors of SETE but the amendment shall only be valid after notification with receipt to each member of SETE.

 

ATHENS February 1995

 

S. KOKOTOS                                                                    S. VASILAKIS