Pat the Cope Gallagher MEP. Welcomes a major overhaul of consumer rights for holiday-makers which was announced by the European Commission today -


Pat the Cope Gallagher MEP has today welcomed the announcement today by the European Commission that the EU Package Travel Directive will be amended. This is part of a major drive by the EU to overhaul consumer rights for holiday-makers.

Pat the Cope Gallagher MEP said that " the reality is that not enough safeguards are in place for people who opt to organise holidays themselves. Package holiday makers are protected under EU laws but not individuals who book their holidays over the internet and this includes car hire, airline tickets and hotel accommodation.
46% of Irish people arrange their own holidays.

Up until now EU directives only covered those who booked with a registered travel agent. The EU wants to extend the scope of this directive to cover self-organised holidays.

The European Parliament will be centrally involved in bringing forward these new laws because under the Amsterdam Treaty it has an equal power with the EU Governments when new EU directives in the area of consumer protection are enacted."

ENDS.
August 27th 2009.