Abta is convinced the recent European elections, in which the UK Independence Party (Ukip) topped the poll in Britain, won’t delay the passage of a new Package Travel Directive (PTD).
Ukip and other Eurosceptic parties want a retreat on pan-European legislation and ultimately the break up of the EU.
But Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer said Ukip and the other parties would “need to organise themselves and get on to committees” in order to hold up the PTD reform process, something they have shown little inclination to do in the past.
Tanzer said: “The European elections should not have a huge impact, given the main parties remain the main parties. Ukip can’t bring the process to a halt.
“The impact is more likely to be on [prime minister] David Cameron telling the EU it needs to reform and on slowing down federalist reform in Europe.”
He said: “The EU machinery should carry on notwithstanding the election results. The directive has had a second reading in the European Parliament. Now MEPs have to react to what the Council of Ministers says. It would be extremely difficult to go back to square one.”
Tanzer added: “It’s hard to see the European Parliament doing a U-turn. There is such a strong consumer interest in the legislation.
“The PTD will maintain its progress – that is a personal view, but we should see something early next year. It’s a piece of consumer-friendly legislation. I don’t see why the legislation should not move ahead.”
Tanzer said: “We continue to work with the UK representative to the Council of Ministers since we don’t have direct access, and we work with our German counterparts and through the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association (ECTAA).”
Abta head of public affairs Stephen D’Alfonso, who leads the association’s lobbying effort in Brussels, added:
“We are likely to see a high degree of continuity.
“The established political groupings still make up three-quarters of the seats in the European Parliament.”