These concerns from the European hospitality industry result from the IMCO proposal to delete some exemptions granted to the hotel and restaurant sector under the Distance Selling Directive (97/7/EC). As a result, if a consumer decides to conclude by telephone a restaurant or hotel contract, the trader would be obliged to provide to that consumer detailed and burdensome contractual information on a paper when he arrives at the restaurant or hotel, unless the consumer had previously provided an email address to receive such information.

The IMCO report also proposes to introduce specific requirements for distance contracts requiring a payment in advance. The requirement for the trader's website to allow the consumer to confirm that he understood the price of the service for contracts concluded online would make impossible the conclusion of hotel/restaurant contracts by email. For contracts concluded by telephone, the requirement that the trader send on a durable medium a confirmation of the offer and that the consumer confirms the contract on a durable medium for the contract to be binding would prevent such contracts being concluded, especially for short notice hotel room or restaurant reservations.

The European hospitality industry therefore demands the European Parliament to maintain all existing derogations granted to its sector by the Distance Selling Directive, as it was proposed by the initial Commission proposal.