2026-03-30 19:14
publication
2026-03-30 19:14
The EU Council, in which member states are represented, agreed on Monday to adopt new regulations regarding organized trips. The new regulations are intended to better protect passengers, among others: in case of cancellation of the trip.
The directive adopted by the Council on Monday updates the 2015 EU rules on package travel and introduces a clear definition of a “travel package” as one where the organizer combines various travel or tourism services, including flights, transfers, stays or tours organized during the stay. The definition includes both packages purchased online and purchased in stationary stores, including: through travel agencies. However, it does not cover the so-called related travel services, e.g. purchasing a plane ticket on the airline's website and then booking a hotel through the same website. These additional services are not considered part of a single tour package.
The regulations specify what information the tour operator must provide to customers before, during and after the trip. This includes, among others: for details on payment, passport and visa requirements, access for people with disabilities and fees in the event of trip cancellation. The directive also contains clear information on what to do in the event of the organizers' insolvency and obliges offices and carriers to implement procedures for handling complaints.
The regulations also clarify the rights of travelers who decide not to travel due to the so-called force majeure. In such cases, they should not be charged any termination fees and the organizers must reimburse them within 14 days.
The directive also introduces rules on travel vouchers, which agencies and carriers often offer to travelers instead of financial compensation. Organizers will no longer be able to require passengers to accept vouchers instead of money; vouchers will have to be of equal or greater value than the original trip, be valid for 12 months and can be transferred to another person (only once).
Passengers will also have the right to compensation if the organizer cancels the trip due to insolvency. In this situation, they should receive a refund within six months of purchasing the trip; Member States may shorten or, in justified cases, extend these deadlines.
The new rules will enter into force 20 days after their publication in the Official Journal of the EU. Member States will have 28 months to transpose them into national law.
From Brussels Jowita Kiwnik Pargana (PAP)
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