Highest turn out? Belgium, Luxembourg and Malta, with more than 60 per cent. The lowest? Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia, with less than 20 per cent.
An estimated 380 million people were eligible to vote in May’s European elections – only 43 per cent of them did so.
A Gallup poll showed the percentage of Greeks who approved of the EU leadership fell from 32 per cent in 2010 to 19 per cent in 2013.
THE BIG ISSUES
ON THE AGENDA
The key issues for the European travel associations
the new Far Right party – have not worked or participated actively in the legislative process in past years, “and it’s unlikely that they will start to work now”. Given that there are now many more
groupings within the European Parliament, will lobbying become more difficult? “One important lesson we can take from the results of the elections is that the centre- right parties of the EPP, despite winning the elections, suffered the biggest loss in seats – 61,” says Chantoin. “The EPP has now only 23 seats more than the Socialist and Democrats group, the S&D. Therefore, without saying lobbying will be ‘more dif- ficult’, the balance of power in this new parliament might change the way dossiers are tackled, with more negotiations, and more consumer-friendly and important dossiers attributed to the socialists.” Nevertheless, for GEBTA, lobbying activity remains important and requires a continuous monitoring of European affairs in order to ensure that the specific needs of business travel are taken into account. The biggest challenge is that many of the legislative proposals are drafted with leisure
Legislative proposals are drafted with little regard for the difference between managed and discretionary travel
travellers in mind, often with little regard for – or understanding of – the difference between managed and discretionary travel. The new European Parliament seems unlikely to change that, but the new European Commission just might. To a considerable degree, that will depend on the new Commission president – and his commissioners, who draft those proposals. These commissioners are chosen in agree- ment with the European Council’s heads of state, who are still reeling from the electoral Eurosceptic backlash – and may well want to see evidence of change.
IN THE LOBBY…
THERE ARE CURRENTLY around 6,500 ‘interest representatives’ – lobbyist organisations – on the EU Transparency Register. Lobby groups do not have to sign up to the register, but if they do, the implication is they are more likely to be heard. Of those registered, more than 2,000 are trade, business or professional associations, including UK travel trade
22 BBT JULY/AUGUST 2014
association ABTA, the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and the Guild of European Business Travel Agents (GEBTA), the latter representing the interests of Britain’s Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC). Think-tank Civitas – the Institute for the Study of Civil Society – says most pressure
groups target their lobbying at the European Commission and the European Parliament. “The Council of Ministers and the European Council are not lobbied as much,” the group explains, “as it is more effective to target individual governments and ministers at the national level. “The Commission welcomes input from pressure
groups as a channel of representation of civil society, and regularly engages in consultation with them. “The European Parliament is less likely to consult pressure groups when making decisions, as it sees itself and national parliaments as the most effective channels of representation for EU citizens.”
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
IN THE CURRENT REVISION of the Travel Package Directive 90/314/EEC, the European Parliament is being asked to ensure that this legislation remains targeted to protect consumers without impacting business travellers.
The revision of air passenger rights legislation should prohibit airlines from turning away passengers who have not used all segments of their tickets.
The continued exclusion of travel insurance from the Insurance Mediation Directive, now being revised. Inclusion would result in travel intermediaries refusing to offer travel insurance, to the detriment of the travellers.
In 2012, an estimated 6.6 million potential travellers from six target markets were deterred from visiting Europe because of the Schengen area visa regime. Europe needs to simplify visa application procedures, in particular for frequent travellers, such as business travellers.
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