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The United Federation of Travel Agents’ Association (UFTAA), urged the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Transport Ministers to urgently address the issue in order to adopt, as soon as possible, a legislative proposal for an amendment of EU Regulation 561/2006/EC limited exclusively to reinstating the 12-day derogation for tourism coaches formerly established under sub-paragraphs 4 and 5 of article 6.1 of Regulation 3820/85/EC – now repealed.
UFTAA noted that the 12 day derogation enabling professional drivers, involved in occasional passenger transport to drive for up to 12 consecutive days before taking a weekly rest period was deleted from EU Regulation No 561/2006/EC.
In its statement sent to EU, UFTAA says "The loss of the 12-day derogation has increased the costs and reduced the operational efficiency of companies providing coach tour services, with implications not only on drivers’ employment stability but also on the sustainability and economical efficiency of the travel and tourism enterprises engaged in promoting and selling particularly long haul coach tours to travellers.
The loss of the 12-day derogation obviously has led to a loss of job satisfaction and a general deterioration of working conditions of coach drivers and has had a contrary effect by obliging them to spend more week end rests away from home, with the result that there has been a decrease in planning and executing of long haul coach tours when this tourism sector otherwise is showing an increase."
Whilst accepting the importance of the driving and rest time rules within the truck and line bus sector, but recalling that no evidence was to our knowledge presented to demonstrate that the use of the 12 day derogation posed any threat to road safety particularly within the Coach tour sector, on the contrary noting the coach tourism industry’s already excellent safety record."
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
