Source: European Parliament
1. The obligation to ensure that the rights of passengers under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004[1] are respected lies with the national authorities of the Member States, the so-called national enforcement bodies (NEBs). In its legislative proposal on ‘Enforcement of passenger rights in the EU’[2], the Commission aims at strengthening the role of the NEBs by mandating them to perform compliance monitoring activities based on risk assessment and to investigate suspected practices of non-compliance by carriers.
2. In order to ensure a more effective complaint handling for passengers, the Commission proposal introduces clear deadlines and includes rules on intermediaries, such as online booking platforms. It also provides for the adoption of a standardised reimbursement and compensation request form to make it easier for passengers to submit their claims. Furthermore, carriers and terminal managers would be obliged to adopt and implement service quality standards, notably regarding complaint handling.