On Monday 20 April, the first meeting of the Conciliation Committee between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, devoted to the Air Passenger Rights Regulation, enabled progress to be made in the interinstitutional discussions on the most complex aspects of this dossier, in particular the creation of pre-filled forms to facilitate compensation claims (see EUROPE 13851/12).
The European co-legislators have reached a provisional agreement on this point, to which some Member States were previously opposed.
Compromise on forms. Airlines would have 48 hours to send a form to passengers affected by flight disruptions. They would also be required to process requests within a maximum of 14 days. The deadline for passengers to send in their forms will be examined during the forthcoming interinstitutional negotiations.
“Today’s agreement on the design of pre-filled forms marks a major step forward in the revision of the Air Passenger Rights Regulation. The introduction of prefilled forms is a new right that will streamline the process for passengers by providing information, simplifying claim submission and improving the efficiency of handling compensation”, commented the Cypriot Minister of Transport, Alexis Vafeades, after the meeting.
Technical work on compensation. The discussions also made it possible to sketch out possible compromises on the timescales and levels of compensation for passengers in the event of disruption.
Technical work can now begin on this aspect and should ensure that passengers’ rights are guaranteed, particularly with regard to connections and arrival at destination. The Cyprus Presidency of the EU Council is counting on this technical progress to remove the final sticking points between now and the next trilogue.
A consensus on these three elements (compensation thresholds and amounts, definition of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ justifying non-reimbursement, pre-filled forms) is essential if a rapid agreement is to be reached at the next meeting of the Conciliation Committee, scheduled for 2 June. (Original version in French by Juliette Verdes)