Tourism: Brussels hardens the tone

The sensitive subject of reimbursement for trips canceled due to the pandemic has come up regularly since the start of the crisis. The Commission had already taken up its pen to alert the Member States to their obligation vis-à-vis European passenger law. With very relative success since some countries have not reversed the arrangements they had made.

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Brussels toughened its tone on Thursday, announcing the launch of an infringement procedure against ten member states including France, Italy, Greece and Portugal. " In these ten Member States, specific national rules relating to package travel remain applicable and allow travel organizers to issue vouchers, instead of reimbursement , for canceled trips, or to postpone reimbursement well beyond the 14-day deadline set out in the Package Travel Directive , ”says the Commission.

The countries in question have two months to justify their position vis-à-vis Brussels or to comply with European legislation. Otherwise, the procedure will pass the second stage, namely that of the Commission's reasoned opinion, before possibly referral to the European Court of Justice. " This is good news, " responded the European Bureau of Consumer Unions, calling on the governments of the countries concerned to " ensure that those who need it are reimbursed."

In France, according to an order taken in March, canceled trips give rise to assets whose validity can go up to eighteen months. And customers can only be reimbursed in hard cash once the period of validity of these credits has passed. These measures had been taken to support tourism businesses badly affected by the Covid-19 crisis.