A European consumer group has called for a legally binding set of minimum fire safety standards for hotels across member states of the European Union.
The European Association for the Co-ordination of Consumer Representation (ANEC) says that while a welcome step in the right direction, existing voluntary guidelines – known as the Hotel Fire Safety Management, Building and Systems methodology (MBS methodology) and published in 2009 by HORTEC, a body representing hotel and catering trade associations across Europe – have not been adopted widely enough. It is therefore asking the European Commission to introduce regulations to achieve a minimum harmonisation of safety across hotels and other tourist accommodation.
The call follows a European Parliament resolution in September which included recommendations that incentives should be given for adherence to the MBS methodology, without prejudice to national regulations in force, and that regulatory action is taken if self-regulation fails. The resolution also highlights the importance of training hotel staff on fire safety management and emergency planning, stresses the need for the collection of data on accommodation safety, and underlines the importance of considering the fire safety needs of people with disabilities and people with reduced mobility.
In a statement issued last month, ANEC said that while it accepted that the MBS guidelines were a step forward in an area where common rules are lacking, Europe should be more ambitious when it came to consumer safety.
“We and other stakeholders have repeatedly expressed concern that the [MBS] methodology does not include monitoring or performance reporting, both of which should be key to its success. Moreover, the adoption of the methodology is not a precondition of HOTREC membership and, even if it were, not all hotels belong to associations that are members of HOTREC.
“Once again, ANEC calls on the European institutions to introduce a regulatory instrument to achieve a minimum harmonisation of safety across hotels and other tourist accommodation. Only in this way will consumers be able to expect a reliable approach to safety in all hotels in all member states.”
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