On Thursday 26 June, the European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) approved its position on the revision of the European Package Travel Directive, with 35 votes in favour, 1 against and 4 abstentions.
There were two points on which MEPs disagreed during the discussions: “linked travel arrangements” (LTAs) and limiting advance payments. As the Council of the EU had done (see EUROPE 13549/38), they finally abolished LTAs. On the second point, the MEPs proposed leaving it up to the Member States to decide whether to introduce them, in accordance with national provisions.
“We are laying down rules for vouchers and giving consumers the right to cancel a package in exceptional circumstances”, stressed the rapporteur, Alex Agius Saliba (S&D, Maltese), in a press release. “A complaint-handling mechanism with clear response times for tour operators will enable travellers to have their rights respected”.
As far as vouchers are concerned, the IMCO Committee considers that the organiser must always ask for the traveller’s consent and inform them clearly and visibly in writing. The voucher may be used in whole or in part for all travel services offered by the organiser. Consumers can refuse it and request a refund within 14 days. If a traveller accepts a voucher but does not use it, the unused value of the voucher must be reimbursed when it expires. Vouchers must be valid for up to 12 months and be extendable or transferable once.
HOTREC, the European association representing hotels, restaurants and cafés, welcomed the efforts made by the MEPs. However, it is calling for the complete removal of any limitations on pre-payments, as “it risks increasing fragmentation within the Single Market and reducing both choice and value for consumers, especially budget-conscious travellers”. It also recommends returning to the original definition of a package, as “the 24-hour threshold introduces legal uncertainty, blurs the lines between standalone and package bookings, and imposes complex administrative burdens, particularly for small and medium-sized hospitality businesses”.
The position will be put to a vote by the full Parliament at the September plenary session.
To read the compromise amendments adopted: https://aeur.eu/f/hl3 (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)