The European Commission has launched an infringement procedure against 10 Member States of the European Union for failing to protect the rights of passengers when the trips had to be canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
National laws in force in the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Greece, France, Italy, Croatia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia violate EU travel rules, said Friday the Commission.
New measures have also been launched against Greece and Italy for failing to protect passengers on buses, trains and ferries.
Under EU law, passengers have "the right to choose between cash reimbursement and other forms of reimbursement, such as a voucher" if a flight has been canceled and should be reimbursed within two weeks.
In the 10 countries mentioned above, the Commission indicates that the authorities only allow tour operators to "issue vouchers, instead of a cash refund" or take more than 14 days to reimburse passengers.
The Commission says that throughout the crisis, it "made it clear that consumer rights remain valid in the current unprecedented environment and that national support measures for the industry must not lower them".
The 10 countries now have two months to respond and prove to the Commission that they have corrected these problems.
