Brussels, 20/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - “We are determined to ensure that the rights of European passengers are dealt with effectively in all the Member States,” stated Jacques Barrot, the Commission Vice-President responsible for Transport on the failure of five Member States to fulfil all their obligations pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, which entered into force on 17 February 2005 and provides additional protection for air passengers in the event of denied boarding, flight cancellation or long delays. On 14 December, the Commission decided to refer Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Sweden to the European Court of Justice and to deliver reasoned opinion to Slovakia for failure to comply with European legislation on air passenger rights. To date they have still not established an effective system of penalties vis-à-vis airlines which infringe the provisions of the Regulation. A reasoned opinion has also been delivered to Slovakia, which has not provided the Commission with the requisite information on the setting of sanctions.