NET position paper on EU digital policy

  The NET – network of representative trade associations from the private sector in European tourism, including HOTREC – has issued a . The paper calls for a regulatory framework that empowers destinations with access to relevant data, provides a fair and transparent competitive environment for all travel and tourism enterprises and benefits consumers. NET urges the EU Institutions to reflect the following in a regulatory framework for the digital landscape in order to support the travel and tourism sector and help it recover following the tremendous damage caused by the COVID-19 crisis:

• Digital has transformed travel and tourism and will continue creating opportunities for businesses and consumers;
• Ensure subsidiarity in order to support the elaboration of clear policy measures addressing the public interest at destination level;
• Clarify the regime for non-personal data, and balance the rights and obligations of data generators and data users;
• Address the lack of digital skills of local authorities and businesses and the lack of connectivity in remote areas;
• Clearly define the responsibility of platforms while ensuring adequate compliance and enforcement;
• Address the role of dominant platforms and take appropriate action to ensure fair competition;
• Ensure enforcement of the P2B regulation and the Directive on modernisation of consumer law in tourism and travel.