Work in Parliament Thomas Cook: MEP advocates additional measures to ensure proper consumption compensation

Maria da Graça Carvalho defended on Monday the need to “consider additional measures, such as strengthening the protection of air passengers, so that consumers are correctly compensated for damages caused by situations such as the recent bankruptcy of tour operator Thomas Cook.

In her plenary speech in Strasbourg, Maria da Graça Carvalho also recalled that the bankruptcy of the British operator “has a strong impact not only on consumers, but also in affected regions, such as the Algarve and Alentejo”, creating a “serious risk for families, businesses and local economy”.

For Graça Carvalho, it is also "vital" that the European Commission and the Member States ensure that the rules already in place are effectively applied. "Only then will it be possible to guarantee the smooth functioning of the internal market and the level of consumer protection that we propose", she concluded.

The European People's Party (PPE) - political group to which PSD belongs - will propose this week the adoption of a resolution on the negative impact of Thomas Cook's bankruptcy on the European economy.

The aim of EPP MEPs is to carry out an analysis of the reasons that caused this operator to collapse, in order to avoid similar events in the future. The European Commission will also be asked to identify and operationalise mechanisms for quick and effective access to instruments that can compensate the sector for damage suffered.