Danish Presidency opens door on air passenger rights

What happened

On 16 July, Danish Ministers Thomas Danielsen (Transport) and Morten Bødskov (Business) presented the Danish Council Presidency’s transport and tourism priorities before the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism.

The Presidency’s agenda focused on boosting EU competitiveness, accelerating the green transition, and easing administrative burdens. On tourism, Denmark reaffirmed its support for the Commission’s 2022 strategy and Council conclusions through 2030, aiming to build a more resilient and sustainable sector.

But the spotlight quickly shifted to air passenger rights. Danielsen defended the Council’s current approach, including faster compensation – within 14 days -, rebooking rights after three hours, a ban on no-show policies, and clearer rules on pricing and delays. 

Pressed by MEPs to commit to a broader reform, Danielson acknowledged Parliament’s priorities, including extending liability to non-EU carriers – also signalling that the Council is open to negotiating the entire package versus its initial plan to separate the dossiers.

The dilemma

After more than a decade of deadlock, Parliament is demanding a comprehensive deal on air passenger rights, and quickly at that. Tensions rose as MEPs challenged the Council’s strategy to split the files on the Enforcement of Passenger Rights and the revision of Air Passenger Rights, sending the latter directly to second reading.

Several MEPs warned that bypassing full consultation through a second reading risks undermining democratic scrutiny and leaves little room for meaningful debate. 

While there is broad consensus within Parliament, time is running out. The key question now is whether reform can be achieved without compromising the integrity of the legislative process.

Why it matters

Europe’s Air Passenger Rights framework is patchy and outdated. The Danish Presidency’s willingness to reconsider its approach -from bundling legislative files to advancing digital standards – marks a shift toward a compromise. 

But with Parliament firmly aligned and pushing for full transparency, the real test will be whether the incoming Presidency can move quickly while preserving institutional balance and delivering meaningful reforms.