The EU Council's Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth (Tourism) is scheduled to meet on 20 July 2026 at 10:00 in the Justus Lipsius Building, Brussels, according to a notice of meeting and provisional agenda published by the Council on 13 July 2026. The meeting will adopt its agenda and then hear the Irish Presidency present its tourism priorities, followed by a Commission presentation on air passenger rights and omnibus enforcement for passenger rights, including the 'one journey, one ticket' proposal. A tour de table will follow. The Presidency will also introduce a paper on 'Improving Resilience in the Tourism Industry', prompting an exchange of views among member state representatives. Any other business will be addressed at the end. The meeting format is 1+2, and contact details are provided as tourism@consilium.europa.eu.
The meeting marks the first substantive tourism policy discussion under the Irish Presidency, which began in July 2026. The agenda focuses on two key areas: passenger rights and industry resilience. The Commission's presentation on air passenger rights and omnibus enforcement builds on ongoing efforts to simplify and strengthen passenger protections across transport modes, particularly through the 'one journey, one ticket' initiative aimed at seamless multimodal travel. The Presidency's paper on resilience addresses vulnerabilities exposed by recent disruptions, including extreme weather events and geopolitical tensions affecting travel patterns.
EU tourism businesses, including airlines, hotels, and tour operators, face potential new compliance costs from expanded passenger rights rules, but may benefit from simplified ticketing and increased consumer confidence. EU passengers stand to gain stronger protections and easier redress, though ticket prices could rise if operators pass on compliance costs. National tourism authorities will need to coordinate enforcement and resilience planning, potentially requiring additional administrative resources. EU consumer groups may welcome the passenger rights focus, while industry associations may push for proportionality to avoid overburdening small and medium-sized enterprises.
The working party's discussions will inform the Council's position on the passenger rights package and resilience measures. The Commission is expected to present legislative proposals later in 2026, with the European Parliament also set to weigh in. The Irish Presidency will use the exchange of views to shape its policy priorities for the remainder of its term.