BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Travelers in the EU will in future have more rights when canceling booked package tours and claiming reimbursement. This is provided for in an agreement reached in Brussels between representatives of the governments of the member states and the European Parliament, but it has not yet taken effect in practice.
Anyone who has to cancel a holiday booked as a complete package due to exceptional and unavoidable circumstances will no longer have to pay a fee. According to a statement, the reasons that would be considered force majeure would depend on the individual case.
If the tour operator cancels a package tour, the agreement stipulates that they are obliged to refund their customers within 14 days. Although vouchers can also be offered as compensation, travelers can reject this option. According to the statement, the vouchers must be worth at least the value of the refund that would otherwise be due.
In the future, travelers will also be entitled to more information about their package tour. This includes details on available payment methods, relevant passport and visa requirements, cancellation fees, and information on accessibility for people with reduced mobility.
The EU Commission had made proposals for an amendment to the rules at the end of 2023. The agreement now reached still has to be formally confirmed by the European Parliament and the member states in the Council. Once it comes into force, member states will have 28 months to transpose the EU directive into national legislation./tre/DP/zb
