Press releases

The owner of a Volkswagen car affected by the Dieselgate emissions scandal is due compensation, Germany’s highest civil court (Bundesgerichtshof) ruled today.
This landmark ruling from the Federal Court confirms the view of consumer groups that Volkswagen’s manipulation of car emissions has harmed consumers and that they are due compensation.

The European Commission published a recommendation to EU countries today, calling them to uphold travellers’ rights to reimbursement for travel cancelled due to COVID-19 and proposing how to offer voluntary vouchers to consumers.

This week will be crucial for European travellers’ rights as ministers discuss at the EU Council meetings how to support the tourism and transport industries during the COVID-19 crisis. Across Europe, airlines and travel operators have been openly flouting EU consumer law, refusing to reimburse consumers for cancelled travel, while many European governments have turned a blind eye or adopted national laws to impose vouchers or postpone reimbursement claims.

BEUC welcomes a call today by European Commissioner for Justice, responsible for consumer protection, Didier Reynders, for Member States to work on solutions to address the problems of the travel and tourism industry due to COVID-19 but to respect European consumers’ rights.