Collective Commentary about the New Package Travel Directive

Legal Consequences of a Traveller’s Failure to Communicate a Lack of Conformity – an Austrian Dispute on the Implementation of the NPTD Michael Wukoschitz 1. The implementation of the NPTD in Austria; 2. The traveller´s obligation to inform the organiser on any lack of conformity; 3. Recitals of the Directive and explanatory remarks to the Austrian Government bill; 4. Opinions expressed in the legal doctrine; 5. Strict contractual obligation – or “Toothless Tiger” just like before? 1. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NPTD 1 IN AUSTRIA As early as 28 February, 2017, the Austrian Ministry of Justice published a Government Draft for a new “Package Travel Act (Pauschalreisegesetz – PRG)” 2 meant to transpose major parts of the EU Package Travel Directive 2015 into Austrian law. Preceding the publication of the draft, between 3 February and 21 February, observations had been filed by various Federal Authorities, Federal Provinces, the Appellate Courts of Vienna and Innsbruck, the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ), the Austrian Automobile, Motorcycle and Touring Club (ÖAMTC), Thomas Cook Austria and Expedia. On 14 March, 2017, the Government Draft was taken into consideration by the Committee of Justice of the Austrian Parliament and adopted without any amendments. This was followed by adoptions by the two chambers of parliament, 1 Directive (EU) 2015/2302 on package travel and linked travel arrangements, amending Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 and Directive 2011/83/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Directive 90/314/EEC. 2 Regierungsvorlage für ein Bundesgesetz, mit dem ein Bundesgesetz über Pauschalreisen und verbundene Reiseleistungen (Pauschalreisegesetz – PRG) erlassen wird sowie das Konsumentenschutzgesetz, das Fern- und Auswärtsgeschäfte-Gesetz und das Verbraucherbehörden-Kooperationsgesetz geändert werden, GP XXV RV 1513.