(AGENPARL) – Thu 26 June 2025 [1] scribo-webmail-logo [14]
Press service **
European Parliament **
Available in *
[2] scribo-webmail-fr [15]
Press release
26-06-2025
IMCO
Package travel: better protection against bankruptcy and unforeseen events [3]
Refund and repatriation help in case travel organiser goes bankrupt
New detailed rules on the use of vouchers
New grounds for trip cancellation and related refunds
On Thursday, the Consumer Protection Committee adopted updated rules on package travel to clarify the rights of travellers when their journey is affected by unforeseen circumstances.
The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) adopted its position on a revision of the EU package travel directive [4] to enhance protection for travellers when a tour organiser goes bankrupt or unforeseen circumstances disrupt their holiday plans. The COVID-19 pandemic and the insolvency of Thomas Cook revealed weaknesses in the current rules.
Refund rights, insolvency protection and information requirements*
MEPs backed the Commission proposal to clarify existing provisions to ensure travellers get a refund for pre-payments and services that have not yet been provided, as well as repatriation help, when their travel organiser goes bankrupt. The updated directive would clarify what counts as a travel package and list the kind of information to be provided to travellers before, during and after their trip.
Use of vouchers *
The committee also agreed on new provisions to ensure consumers can refuse vouchers and instead choose to request a refund within 14 days. When a traveller accepts a voucher but does not use it, the unused worth of it should be paid back to the traveller when it expires. Vouchers should be valid for up to 12 months and extendable or transferable once. The traveller should also be able to choose whether to use it in one go or in parts.
Vouchers should be covered by insolvency guarantees and their value would have to correspond at least to the amount of the refund to which a traveller is entitled. Voucher holders should also have priority when choosing travel services, and be able to spend it on any travel service offered by the organiser.
Grounds for cancelling the trip*
The updated directive clarifies the conditions for cancelling a trip. MEPs want to ensure that if unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances arise at the travel destination or departure point before a trip, or affect the journey, travellers should be able to cancel without penalty and with a full refund. A traveller’s place of residence should not be relevant, MEPs argue.
Whether a cancellation is justifiable should be assessed on a case-by-case basis. However, MEPs say that official travel warnings issued up to 28 days before the scheduled departure should become important elements to be taken into account.
Level of pre-payments*
MEPs have scrapped the Commission’s proposal that travel companies may not require a down-payment greater than 25% of the total package cost from the client until 28 days before the start of the travel, leaving this decision to individual member states.
Quote*
Author of the report Alex Agius Saliba [5] (S&D, MT) said after the vote: “These new rules for package travel update the protection of travellers with lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to make sure travellers are protected when booking a package deal. We are setting rules for vouchers, and giving consumers the right to cancel a package when extraordinary circumstances apply. A complaint handling mechanism with clear deadlines for travel operators to respond will make sure travellers can enforce their rights.”
Next steps*
The draft position, adopted with 35 votes for, 1 against ant 4 abstentions, will go to Parliament’s plenary for a debate and vote, probably in September. Once the plenary adopts its negotiating mandate, talks on the final shape of the law with the EU Council, who adopted its position [6] in December 2024, can start.
Further information
[7] scribo-webmail-arrow [16]
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
[8] scribo-webmail-arrow [17]
Procedure file
[9] scribo-webmail-arrow [18]
Overview of the work done at the Parliament on package travels
Maris KURME
Press Officer
scribo-webmail-phone [19]
scribo-webmail-portable [20]
scribo-webmail-mail [21]