Collective Commentary about the New Package Travel Directive

ARTICLE 23 | SILVIA FELIU 489 Decree. 3) Any contractual arrangement or any statement by the traveller which directly or indirectly waives or restricts the rights conferred on travellers pursuant to this Decree or aims to circumvent the application of this Decree shall not be binding on the traveler”. • Luxembourg: Law of 25 April 2018 amending the Consumer Code in relation to package travel and linked travel arrangements, and amending the amended law of 2 September 2011 governing access to occupations in craft trades, business and industry, and to certain liberal professions. ( OFFICIAL GAZETTE of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg MEMORIAL A – 308 of 25 April 2018): Article L. 225-21. “(1) A declaration by an organiser of a package or a trader facilitating a linked travel arrangement that they are acting exclusively as a travel service provider, as an intermediary or in any other capacity, or that a package or a linked travel arrangement does not constitute a package or a linked travel arrangement, shall not absolve that organiser or trader from the obligations imposed on them under this Chapter. (2) Travellers may not waive the rights conferred on them under this Chapter. (3) Any contractual arrangements or statements by the traveller which directly or indirectly waive or restrict the rights conferred on travellers pursuant to this Chapter or aim to circumvent the application of this Chapter, shall not be binding on the traveler.”. • Italy: (Decreto Legislativo 21 maggio 2018, n. 62 (Article 51 sexies) in the same way. • Spain: Royal Decree-Law 23/2018, of December 21, on the transposition of directives in the area of trademarks, rail transport and package travel and linked travel arrangements ( Boletín Oficial del Estado núm. 312 de 27.12.2018). Paragraph 3, Article 150: “No quedarán eximidos de las obligaciones establecidas en este libro los organizadores de viajes combinados, o, en su caso, los minoristas, así como los empresarios que facilitan servicios de viaje vinculados, aunque declaren que actúan exclusivamente como prestadores de un servicio de viaje, como intermediarios o en cualquier otra calidad, o que los servicios que prestan no constituyen un viaje combinado o servicios de viaje vinculados”. The identification of the “imperative provisions” has always been controversial in all states, so national transpositions should reflect article 23 Directive (EU) 2015/2302 in order to create a real consumer internal market in the area of package travel and linked travel arrangements.