On 22 and 23 May 2003, the 25 national associations of travel agents and tour operators members of the…
On 22 and 23 May 2003, the 25 national associations of travel agents and tour operators members of the European association ECTAA, will meet for the 87th bi-annual meeting in Antwerp. The meeting is hosted by FIT, the Belgian Tourism Industry Federation, which is a founding Member of ECTAA.
Ranking high on the agenda of the one-day Business Meeting are air matters as well as competition issues relating to the air transport sector. The most important issues for the Members are those concerning the urgent need for better protection against airlines` defaults, especially taking into account the frail financial position of a number of airlines, and other IATA affairs, such as the problems relating to the newly-introduced BSPLink, another tool unilaterally imposed by IATA on travel agents.
Members will also review the situation on the ECTAA/GEBTA complaint against IATA and IATA airlines, which focuses on the competition concerns of the industry in relation to the Passenger Sales Agency Agreement. Other matters on the agenda include the denied boarding compensation Regulation proposal, which is today debated in European Parliament with a view to adopting a Recommendation in second reading of the EP expected in September of this year. Members will also debate on the revision of the third package for liberalisation of air transport and the new US legal requirements on the transfer of APIS and PNR, which pose a number of practical problems.
The Business Meeting will also raise a number of legal, fiscal, tourism and consumer protection related issues without direct link to the air transport sector. The industry will notably debate about the Commission proposal revising the current special VAT scheme for travel agents. The industry supported the Commission proposal adopted in 2001 but it seems that the Council may end up with a compromise text very different from the initial proposal, to the detriment of the European industry. Said Mr Walter Krombach, President of ECTAA: ECTAA appeals to all governments of the EU to vote in favor of a fair, simple and level-playing VAT scheme for travel agents to prevent distortions of competition among operators established in different countries and thus preserve and reinforce the competitiveness of the EU tourism industry.
ECTAA will also hold a special meeting for the affiliated associations of the candidate countries. With the enlargement process well on its way, ECTAA pays particular attention to these associations, with a view to helping them understand the Community legislation affecting the trade and to inform them of best practices and codes.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
