The National Association of Tourism Agencies (ANAT) and the Tourism Ministry plan to radically change the insurance system for tourists.

The current insurance level is not enough to cover damages for all tourists in case an agency files for insolvency.

The two authorities have given up the idea of setting up a Guarantee Fund and aim at substantially increasing the insurance level, linking it to sales volume and eliminating insurance for resellers, local Profit.ro reported.

The Tourism Ministry has to speed up a decision because the European Commission will open an infringement procedure on Romania as of July 1 due to failure to implement EU directives in tourism, including legislation that guarantees tourist service packages for individuals. The infringement procedure might be followed by legal action and usually substantial fines that Romania might have to pay.

The Tourism Ministry might issue an emergency bill for transposing EU regulations in the following period, in order to speed up the implementation.

Discussions on the topic have lingered for months, yet action needs to be taken fast as another tourism agency (Terra Turism) recently filed for insolvency, very close to the deadline for infringement.

editor@romania-insider.com