European Union

Written by Monika Kiss.

EU passenger rights regulations, covering compensation for denied boarding, cancellations, long delays, and protections for passengers with reduced mobility, addressed some of these issues, although enforcement and awareness remained limited.

In 2013, the European Commission proposed clarifying ‘extraordinary circumstances’, introducing rerouting rights after long delays, banning no-show penalties, improving tarmac delay handling and complaint procedures, while capping accommodation duties and standardising compensation thresholds. The European Parliament’s first-reading report added stronger protections, including a closed list of exceptions, higher accommodation limits, airport contact points, safeguards for passengers in cases of airline bankruptcy, and expanded baggage and accessibility rights. The Council’s 2025 first-reading position maintained rerouting and assistance rights, updated compensation thresholds to four hours for short flights and six hours for longer ones, clarified ‘extraordinary circumstances’, and tightened complaint-handling procedures. Parliament’s second-reading draft rejects higher delay thresholds, keeps compensation at between €300 and €600 by distance, increases free hand luggage, bans unfair ancillary charges, and extends claim deadlines.

Stakeholders, including consumer groups, disability organisations, and airlines, have expressed mixed reactions, with consumer advocates supporting stronger protections, and airlines warning of higher costs. The report is now scheduled for a plenary vote.

Read the complete briefing on ‘Revising air passenger rights: Where do we stand?‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

The protest comes after Trump threatened tariffs on countries opposing his Greenland plans and coincide with a US congressional delegation’s visit to Copenhagen

Protests erupted in Iran on 28 December, becoming one of the largest protest movements against the clerical leadership since 1979

Repeated failures highlight limits of Russian-made air defences

Following the deployment, Danish defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen said that “the intention is to create a more permanent military presence"

The US president on Friday named himself chair of a “Board of Peace” that includes Tony Blair and senior Americans Jared Kushner, Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff

Brussels is mulling more economic restrictions on Iran and Russia. Why not the US?

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

Weekly schedule of President António Costa, 17-25 January 2026.

Council gives its final approval to the amended EuroHPC regulation.

The Council decided to prolong existing restrictive measures against those who support, facilitate or enable violent actions by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad by another year.

Press briefing ahead of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council will take place on 19 January at 10.30. The briefing will be "off the record".

The German government also distanced itself from the invitation extended to Araghchi on Friday

A recent pilot study in Greece has revealed that nearly all tested residential heating and cooling energy interventions yield positive results

EU-US trade deal could unravel amid Greenland standoff, says EU trade lawmakers

The "brutal" repression has "likely suppressed the protest movement for now", said the US-based Institute for the Study of War, which has monitored the protest activity

A month to the Munich Security Conference – with Iran disinvited, high-stakes US–Greenland meetings this week, and von der Leyen pushing Europe’s bid to become a ‘military powerhouse’ – tensions are already running high

Following the plenary vote on Tuesday, Borja Giménez Larraz (EPP, ES) will answer journalists’ questions on the hurdles to ratification and implementation of the European Electoral Act.
Committee on Constitutional Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Following the plenary vote on Tuesday, Borja Giménez Larraz (EPP, ES) will answer journalists’ questions on the hurdles to ratification and implementation of the European Electoral Act.
Committee on Constitutional Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

On Wednesday 21 January, Tomas Tobé will present his draft report on the findings and recommendations of the European Democracy Shield Special Committee.
Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP