With the so-called “Passenger Package,” the European Commission aims to make cross-border travel easier to book, more transparent, and easier to compare. The German Travel Association (DRV) supports these goals. However, in the ongoing legislative process, the association is calling for a clear and balanced allocation of responsibilities, as well as a limitation of liability for travel agents and tour operators to a minimum.
“Imposing blanket liability on travel agencies and other intermediaries for the services, decisions, or omissions of transportation companies would be disproportionate. Responsibility must lie where the respective service is provided and monitored,” said DRV President Albin Loidl at a policy breakfast in Brussels. Together with its European umbrella organization, ECTAA, the DRV had invited the rapporteur for the Passenger Mobility Package, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, MEP, as well as representatives of the European Parliament and the European Commission to a discussion.
From the DRV’s perspective, the new regulations must be designed to be fair, practical, and legally sound. They should promote competition in sales without unduly affecting or disadvantaging proven sales models or package tour offers.
Clear Responsibilities Instead of Blanket Liability for Travel Agents
In this context, liability must, as a general rule, remain with the party that provides the relevant information or delivers the respective travel service. “Travel agents and tour operators must not be held liable for errors or failures that are beyond their control,” Loidl emphasized. “Whoever provides a service or information must take responsibility for it. Shifting additional risks onto independent intermediaries would hinder competition—and ultimately harm consumers as well.”
The Passenger Package comprises three closely interlinked legislative proposals on multimodal bookings, rail ticketing, and passenger rights for through or combined tickets.
DRV’s Multi-Day Political Discussions in Brussels
The day before the policy breakfast, DRV President Albin Loidl, Chief Executive Officer Achim Wehrmann, and Head of European Policy Jan Jacobs had advocated for balanced consumer protection and competitive framework conditions during intensive political discussions with members of the European Parliament. The focus of the discussions—which included talks with European Parliament Vice President Katarina Barley and Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi, Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN)—was on the current challenges facing the travel industry and the question of how European regulation can be designed to be effective, balanced, and practical. DRV President Loidl made it clear: “Consumer protection is important, but it must not lead to disproportionate burdens on travel companies.” In addition, the association advocates for fundamentally smoother, faster, and less complicated visa procedures, not least for business travel to Europe.
