Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-03-08-Speech-1-111"
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"en.20100308.16.1-111"2
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"Mr President, I am grateful for this opportunity to give you an update of the Commission’s work on reviewing the Package Travel Directive. At the time of the adoption of the directive in 1990, package holidays were the most common type of holidays. Since then, the market scene has changed significantly: the development of the Internet has made it possible for consumers to make their reservations directly from tour operators, air carriers and hotels. Furthermore, the rapid development of low-cost air carriers has revolutionised the supply of air transport. It has also enhanced competition and consumer choice in the travel market.
At the beginning of 2009, the Commission published an independent report that explored the different possible ways of addressing the consequences of bankruptcies. We also launched a public consultation on the future of air passengers’ rights on 15 December 2009. These elements will serve as a basis for the impact assessment. We aim to present the most appropriate bankruptcy protection measures to Parliament before the end of 2010.
Nowadays, a majority of EU citizens organise their holidays themselves rather than purchasing predefined packages. These changes have resulted in a decreasing number of consumers being protected when going on holiday. We are also aware that the existing directive has led to an uneven playing field for the holiday industry, with some operators being regulated by the directive while others are not, even though they sell similar products.
Moreover, the minimum harmonisation of the directive has caused legal fragmentation in the Member States. This means that the current legislation may not be up to date.
For this reason, the Commission launched the impact assessment process to prepare for a possible revision of the Package Travel Directive last year. In the context of the impact assessment work, the Commission published a study on consumer detriment in the area of the so-called ‘dynamic packages’ in November 2009.
At the same time, the Commission launched a public consultation on the revision of the directive. This consultation was closed on 7 February 2010. The Commission is now examining more than 170 contributions, which will feed into the impact assessment. The scope of the possible revision will depend on the outcome of the impact assessment.
However, let me explain briefly the guiding principles of this work. First, a high level of protection is key if we want to make sure that consumers have confidence in their holiday purchases. Second, we must improve the functioning of the internal market for travel, in particular, since cross-border purchases are so frequent in this area. There is therefore a good case for more harmonisation of the relevant legislation in Member States. Finally, I think it is necessary to create a more level playing field for the businesses selling travel packages.
The Commission is planning to present its proposal early in 2011. The key challenges for the revision will be to define the scope of the directive. The Commission will look into the possibilities of extending the scope of the directive to cover a wider range of travel arrangements including the ‘dynamic packages’. This could help to reverse the trend of the decreasing number of consumers being protected when going on holiday.
We will need to update the different information requirements and clarify the obligation and liabilities of the professional parties to the contract. Finally, in order to improve consumer awareness, the Commission will explore the cost and benefits of introducing a standardised package travel label which would have to be displayed when selling package holidays.
In parallel with this work, the Commission is examining the possibilities of enhancing protection against bankruptcy for passengers buying stand-alone air tickets, as recently requested by the European Parliament."@en1
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