The EU is working to improve the rights of travellers. Regulations have been in place since 2005 stating that air passengers have the right to assistance and, in certain cases, compensation if they are denied boarding and in the event of cancellation and delay of flights. On 3 December 2009, similar provisions will enter into force with regard to travel by rail. Corresponding regulations for maritime traffic and coach and bus services are currently under discussion at the Council in Brussels under the leadership of the Swedish Presidency.

The regulations aim at creating fundamental consumer protection in Europe for passengers affected by delays or cancelled departures while travelling.
 
The regulations include provisions on information, assistance and in certain cases compensation to passengers in the event that trips are cancelled or delayed. In addition, they also include provisions on information and assistance to passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility. As regards rail and coach and bus services, there are also provisions on compensation in the event of death or bodily injury sustained by passengers as the result of accidents.

Right to information
Surveys show that one of the most important issues for a passenger in the event of cancelled departures or traffic delays is that the passenger is provided with relevant information. This makes it easier for the passenger to plan the next stage of his or her journey, call relatives or business contacts and inform them of their new arrival time, etc. The regulations therefore include provisions concerning the carrier’s obligation to provide information to passengers in the event of cancelled departures and delays.

Right to assistance
It is also important that the passenger is not abandoned in the event of cancelled departures and delays. For this reason, the regulations and proposed regulations contain provisions on the right to assistance. A passenger who is forced to wait at a station or airport may need assistance with lunch or dinner. If there is a long wait for the next departure, it may even be necessary to receive help with a hotel.

Right to economic compensation
In some cases when cancelled departures and delays occur, the passenger has the right to compensation. At times this may involve a set sum in relation to the length of the journey. At other times compensation is put in relation to the price of the ticket. If the cancelled departure or delay is due to exceptional circumstances, the carrier does not have to pay any compensation. However, assistance must always be offered to the passenger.

Strengthened rights for disabled persons
The regulations also aim at strengthening the rights of disabled passengers and passengers with reduced mobility. In principle, no one is to be denied the opportunity of purchasing tickets because he or she suffers from disabilities or reduced mobility. Exceptions are only possible in cases where it is motivated for security reasons or where the design of the vehicle is such that it is impossible to accommodate a person with disabilities or reduced mobility. The provisions also contain requirements regarding escorting, for example at airports and larger staffed stations. The service provided may consist of helping a wheelchair user get from a taxi to a seat onboard a train.

Special regulations on local and regional transport
Regarding rail, coach and bus services, and maritime traffic, the regulations propose that it should be possible for the Member States to exempt local and regional transport. One reason for this is that local transport most often comprises several different transport modes and that it seems appropriate for the same provisions concerning passenger rights to apply to all modes of local traffic.