Collective Commentary about the New Package Travel Directive

276 COLLECTIVE COMMENTARY ABOUT THE NEW PACKAGE TRAVEL DIRECTIVE withdrawal 31 . The Loi of 25 April 2018 32 of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg reproduces the Community text in a literal way, according to the Italian model, and even in this case the meaning and effects of silence are explained and provided for. The same solution was chosen by Portuguese law 33 which is evidently symmetrical with the approach taken by Italy, Luxembourg and Austria 34 and Spain 35 . The UK solution 36 is the most innovative 37 : in case of substantial changes being applied and a deadline for responding being given, if the traveller lets the deadline expire without deciding, the company must renew its communication and, only after waiting for another similar period of time, must withdraw and return the paid amounts. The most complex and most attuned to the goals of all the national laws is the German one 38 , because it has tried to pursue the aims of the directive, but not by simply transposing it literally, as did Italy, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Austria, Portugal and Spain, but by including new provisions in the complex national system and, in particular, by referring to the principles of the corresponding regulations of consumer protection. It is difficult to decide whether this strategy, which is appreciable on a systematic level, leads to greater clarity, at least for those who do not possess a thorough knowledge of this system. However, despite the effort to try and not overstep the limits set by the Directive, the same is implemented as part of a more general idea of protecting the traveller and, to be honest, the other countries 31 See art. 26 of the Loi relative à la vente de voyages à forfait, de prestations de voyages liées et de services de voyage dating 21 novembre del 2017, according to which “ l’organisateur informe le voyageur sans retard excessif, d’une manière claire, compréhensible et apparente, sur un support durable: 1. des modifications visées à l’article 25 et, s’il y a lieu, en application de l’article 27, de leurs répercussions sur le prix du forfait; 2. du délai raisonnable dans lequel il doit communiquer à l’organisateur la décision qu’il prend en application de l’article 25; 3. que s’il n’a pas accepté expressément la modification proposée dans le délai visé au 2, il est automatiquement mis fin au contrat et; 4. s’il y a lieu, de l’autre voyage à forfait proposé, ainsi que de son prix”. 32 See la Loi du 25 avril 2018 portant modification du Code de la consommation en ce qui concerne les voyages à forfait et les prestations de voyages liées, et modifiant la Loi modifiée du 2 septembre 2011 réglementant l’accès aux professions d’artisan, de commerçant, d’industriel ainsi qu’à certaines professions libérales. 33 See decreto-lei n. 17 del 2018. 34 See Bundesgesetz, mit demeinBundesgesetz uber Pauschalreisen und verbundene Reiseleistungen (Pauschalreisegesetz – PRG) erlassen wird sowie das Konsumentenschutzgesetz, das Fern – und Auswartsgeschafte – Gesetz und das Verbraucherbehorden – Kooperationsgesetz geandert werden. 35 See Royal decree 21 december 2018, no. 3, transposing directives on trade marks, rail transport, package travel and linked arrangements. 36 Consumer protection. The package travel and linked travel arrangements Regulations 2018. Statute no. 634, 2018. 37 See Mason, The future of financial protection in UK and EU, in Aa. Vv., The New Package Travel Directive, Eshte, 2017, 190 and following. 38 See Drittes Gesetz zur Änderung reiserechtlicher Vorschriften of July 17, 2017 .