Meeting this morning (15 July 2026) in Brussels, Coreper I—the committee of EU member-state ambassadors—endorsed the final compromise text of a regulation that will toughen enforcement of existing passenger-rights laws covering air, rail, ferry, coach and metro travel. The file amends the cornerstone Regulation 261/2004 on flight compensation as well as four other sectoral instruments. Key elements include a single EU complaints portal, stricter 30-day refund deadlines, and a new obligation on carriers to offer cash or voucher refunds at the traveller’s choice. National enforcement bodies (NEBs) will gain power to issue EU-wide penalty notices, backed by minimum fine levels of 3 % of an operator’s annual Union turnover for systemic breaches. The Council text also creates a shared data hub in Brussels that will feed real-time disruption information to airports—including Brussels Zaventem—so that stranded passengers can be automatically rebooked. For mobility managers, the regulation promises fewer nightmares in arranging last-minute itineraries out of Belgium’s hubs. Corporate travel departments will be able to file bulk claims on behalf of employees through an API, rather than chasing different carriers across jurisdictions. The Belgian NEB (FPS Mobility) estimates administrative savings of €2.7 million a year once the portal is live in 2028. Consumer organisations applauded the breakthrough after 13 years of deadlock. Airlines, however, warned that uniform fines could prompt fare rises. The European Parliament’s transport committee is expected to rubber-stamp the deal next week, paving the way for formal adoption in September and entry into force 24 months later—just in time for Brussels-based firms planning relocation moves for 2028.
