Consumer's Telegram July/August 2020

Insert of n. 54-61 - Editorial office: Centro Europeo Consumatori (European Consumer Centre Italy - Bolzano office)


SAFER STREAMING

A campaign of the European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net)

The streaming of films is experiencing a worldwide boom, especially in Corona times. However, caution is advised with tempting free offers, because very often expensive subscription traps are hidden behind it.
Streaming scammers bait consumers with preview images or videos regarding movies. To access the full content a seemingly free trial subscription is needed. This leads to high costs without accessing the actual, promised content after registering. Since you have not paid anything, you forget the matter and then experience a nasty surprise when a bill of several hundred euros flutters into the house after a few days.
You can read why you should not pay and how you react correctly on the website of the European Consumer Centre (ECC).


TRAVEL WITHIN THE EU

The platform "Re-open EU" makes it easier

Summer time is known to be travel time and at least within the EU you can go on holiday again. The new platform "Re-open EU" informs you about the obligation to wear a mask in the destination country, how the safety distance is regulated there, if there are regional travel restrictions and provides also other practical information about the destination country. The website created by the European Commission is constantly updated. This way, European tourism can regain its momentum while respecting the necessary health precautions.


AIR PASSENGER RIGHTS

Money back in case of flight cancellatio

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Freedom of movement within the EU has been restored, and air traffic is getting back on track. However, what seems to have been forgotten during coronavirus stricken times, is that if a flight is cancelled, the airline must reimburse the price, as provided for the Passenger Rights Regulation. In its press release, the Italian Civil Aviation Authority ENAC also emphasises that after the 3rd June for cancellations of flights departing from Italy with a destination within the EU, the airline can no longer impose a voucher and deny the refund. If the cancellation is not due to a exceptional circumstance and is comunicated less than 14 days before departure, a compensation payment is due as well. More information on the Passenger Rights Regulation can be found on the ECC website.


CASE OF THE MONTH
Imagine someone hired a car and was involved in an accident during the holiday. This person must immediately contact the customer service of the car rental company, fill in the accident report completely, call the police and take pictures to prove the damage. A Polish consumer followed all these instructions when he hired a car in Italy. When returning the car, he was told that the deposit would be kept for the time to clarify the dynamics of the accident. Months passed, but the consumer only received vague information about the current status of the procedure. As a result, he contacted the European Consumer Centre Poland that referred the case to the ECC Italy. After the intervention of the ECC the the liability of the accident could be eventually proved. Thanks to the ECC-Net, the Polish consumer was refunded the deposit and the administration fee amount of 900 Euro by the car rental company.