Latest news with #intra-EU
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
'I turned up for Ryanair flight and was furious I didn't have seat'
A man has taken to TikTok to share his "scam" experience after he and his travel companion were allegedly denied boarding on a Ryanair flight because there was only one seat left A traveller's dream holiday turned into a fiasco when they were barred from boarding their plane due to a mishap. As we gear up for the peak travel season, droves of Brits are set to jet off to sunny destinations like Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Turkey looking forward to basking in warm weather. Yet, things don't always pan smoothly - occasionally, travel hiccups can derail someone's holiday plans. A TikTok user going by @scott. morelifecoaching has shared his ordeal about being prevented from getting on a Ryanair flight which he was due to take. He said that upon reaching the boarding gate, he was asked to stand aside. While other passengers with pre-booked seats went ahead, he and his friend, who hadn't reserved seats and were last to check in, were left behind as there was only one seat was left. The traveller called the situation a "scam" from Ryanair, pointing out their repeated references to their terms and conditions. Ryanair's response to the Daily Express was clear cut: "As a policy, Ryanair does not overbook flights". However, the airline sidestepped the specific complaints voiced in the video. The company acknowledges that on rare occasions, confirmed reservation holders may face issues boarding the plane. Their policy reads: "In the unlikely event that a seat is not available for a passenger with a confirmed reservation, we will seek volunteers to surrender their seats in exchange for benefits that we and the volunteer may agree upon before involuntarily denying boarding to other passengers." The UK Civil Aviation Authority notes that airlines often "book more people onto a flight than there are seats on the plane", explaining that "this is because people don't always turn up - despite having booked a flight". The TikTok user then shared that they had to wait 50 minutes to retrieve their luggage from the flight they were unable to board. He also stated that airline staff informed them only one of the reservations would be compensated, and they would need to purchase another. Ryanair's policy outlines that passengers who are denied boarding are eligible for compensation options. These include €250 (approximately £209) for flights up to 1,500km or €400 (around £339) for longer intra-EU flights and other flights ranging from 1,500km to 3,500km. Additionally, affected passengers are entitled to reimbursement as per Article 7(3) of the Regulation, rerouting under comparable transport conditions to their final destination at the earliest opportunity or at a later date convenient for them, depending on seat availability.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Why the EU's push to cut Russian energy ties is so difficult
AP file photo After months of delay and rising criticism over soaring LNG imports from Russia, the European Commission has announced its roadmap to eliminate Russian fossil fuels from the EU energy mix by 2027. On Tuesday, Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen presented the long-awaited plan in Strasbourg, aiming to transform the bloc's political promises into binding measures. "We've managed to put together a legislative package that will make sure that we will now get completely rid of Russian gas in our energy mix," Jorgensen told DW. The plan proposes a two-phase approach: Banning new gas contracts with Russian suppliers by the end of 2025 and phasing out all remaining imports by 2027. However, with fossil fuel flows still strong and intra-EU divisions widening, experts remain skeptical. Russian LNG imports rising, against the trend The move comes amid a sharp uptick in Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports into the EU. Although overall EU fossil fuel imports from Russia have fallen since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, imports of Russian LNG and pipeline gas rose by 18% in 2024, according to the European statistics office Eurostat. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Business Suites with CEO Deck Lounge at Prime 1, Vashi NX Raheja Prime 1, Vashi NX Learn More Undo The financial stakes are high: The EU spent €23 billion ($26 billion) on Russian fossil fuels in 2024, directly contributing to the Kremlin 's war budget. The new roadmap is set to stop that. Pawel Czyzak , researcher at the UK-based energy think tank Ember, sees the EU Commission 's latest plan as a push against a slowing political momentum towards Europe's independence from Russian oil and gas, which has been complicated since the beginning. "It has been very difficult for Europe to exit Russian energy fully," Czyzak told DW. While the share of Russian gas in the EU energy mix has dropped, he noted that it still accounted for 17.5–19% of total imports in 2024, depending on the source. On the one hand, the EU has faced a serious security threat from Russia since the invasion of Ukraine, prompting urgent calls to end energy ties. On the other hand, the disruption that Russia has caused to global energy markets since 2021 has triggered economic challenges, soaring energy prices for industry and a deepening cost of living crisis for households. "That's why the European Commission's approach has been inconsistent," Czyzak added. An inconsistent phaseout path LNG has, so far, not been part of the EU's sanction packages against Russia. In March 2025, the Commission implemented a regulation banning Russian LNG transshipments via European ports to non-EU countries. However, imports of Russian LNG for domestic European consumption remained unaffected, and some countries made use of this. Russian LNG continues to enter Europe primarily through France, Belgium, and Spain, according to theEuropean LNG Tracker of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). France stands out, thanks to its advanced LNG infrastructure, the global nonprofit has found, increasing its Russian LNG imports by 81% in 2024, paying Russia €2.68 billion. Ana Maria Jaller-Makarewicz, an energy analyst at IEEFA, says there's "concern" that France is buying LNG, regasifying it into the French grid, and re-exporting it to neighboring countries. "Once it's in the network, you can't trace it. That benefits both the exporter and the buyer," she told DW, meaning Russian gas may be rebranded as European once inside the system. REPowerEU This reality complicates the EU's 2022 REPowerEU plan, which promised to cut Russian fossil fuel dependence, boost renewables, and diversify suppliers. But while researcher Pawel Czyzak is convinced that the EU is hitting big milestones in its energy transition, he sees the bloc moving in the wrong direction when it comes to gas imports: "What the EU has done is switching from one risky supplier to the next," he said. LNG from the United States now dominates EU supply, but Czyzak questions its reliability. "The US is using its position of power to pressure Europe to buy gas — and even threatens tariffs when it doesn't comply," said Czyzak. "Since the inauguration of Donald Trump , it's difficult to assess whether the US can still be treated as a reliable partner." EU Commissioner Jorgensen disagrees, telling DW he would "struggle to find any supply in the world that is as bad as Russia." Despite efforts to secure alternative gas sources, energy prices in Europe remain high. In 2024, gas prices on the continent rose by 59%, with the TTF (Title Transfer Facility) benchmark climbing from €30 to €48 per megawatt-hour (MWh). Although prices have dipped recently with the end of the heating season, they're still well above pre-war levels, deepening Europe's industrial-cost disadvantage compared with the US and China. Durable solutions beyond LNG face EU disunity Instead of replacing Russian gas with another importer, both experts agree that the EU must reduce its overall gas consumption. While decreasing energy needs for industries might be difficult, Jaller-Makarewicz thinks there is a "real potential for reduction regarding European households." The IEEFA analyst argues that a "good start" would be building more insulated houses that lower gas demands for heating, making up a big part of gas consumption, as well as the promotion of solar panels for European homes. But as the backlash to Germany's heat pump law showed, green reforms need public support to work. Slovakia makes appeal for Russian gas The EU Commission's roadmap now heads to member states. While only a qualified majority vote is needed, the political risks are clear. Countries like Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria, all of them still reliant on Russian pipeline gas, have opposed similar moves in the past. And beyond Brussels, diplomacy may complicate things further. Behind closed doors, talk of a US-brokered ceasefire in the Ukraine war has included discussions of sanctions relief for Russia, which could weaken the EU's resolve. Therefore, Jaller-Makarewicz underscored the need to cooperate within the EU when it comes to energy. "Only if member states manage to stand together, the bloc can strengthen the union while offering security of supply."
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EU brainstorms on how to brace for US tariffs as 90-day window opens
By Jan Strupczewski WARSAW (Reuters) - With higher U.S. tariffs postponed by 90 days, European Union finance ministers will brainstorm on Friday how to use that time to get a trade deal with Washington and how to coordinate their efforts to handle higher tariffs if they do not. U.S. President Donald Trump suspended on Wednesday for 90 days the reciprocal tariffs of 20% he imposed on Europe on April 2, though a 10% rate is in place as it is with most other countries globally. He also said he expected Europe to buy more U.S. oil and gas as part of the rebalancing of the trade relationship. "The fact that we will have 90 days respite is, quite frankly, very helpful, because this means that we can now strategise and we'll have 90 days to prepare ourselves in case there is no trade to deal with the Americans," said one senior EU official involved in preparing the ministerial talks. Negotiations with Washington on how to avoid higher tariffs altogether are handled by the European Commission, which is in charge of trade policy for the whole 27-nation EU. If there is a deal with the U.S. on trade within the next three months, possibly along the lines of the EU's zero-tariff proposal on all industrial goods, the problem would be solved. But a no-deal outcome is also possible, which would leave the response in the hands of the 27 EU governments that will have to help the industrial sectors hit hardest. The most affected industries are steel, aluminium, cars, timber and pharmaceuticals. U.S. tariffs of 25% are already in place on steel, aluminium and cars. The European Central Bank and the European Commission estimate the impact of the U.S. tariffs on the EU economy would be substantial and total 0.5% to 1.0% of GDP. Given the EU economy as a whole is forecast to grow 0.9% this year, according to the ECB, the U.S. tariffs could put the EU in recession. Coordination of industry support will be key because some governments have stronger public finances and can afford to help their companies while others cannot. Such inequality would distort fair competition in the single EU market. "Ministers will share their view as to how one could react at the national level, but then the idea is to coordinate, because we wouldn't like to see a race to flood national markets with money in an uncoordinated way," the official said on condition of anonymity. "Not every member state has the same fiscal space. So that's why we have this discussion on national reactions and the coordination of our national responses in a way that would not be harmful to the single market," the official added. The EU's single market of 450 million consumers is one of the biggest assets the bloc has in any trade disputes, but to make it really effective, the EU must reduce the regulatory constraints that effectively act as tariffs. The International Monetary Fund estimates intra-EU trade barriers are equivalent to a 44% tariff on goods and a 110% tariff on services. EU ministers are likely to focus on reducing these obstacles to EU trade as a key response to U.S. tariffs.
Al Arabiya
11-04-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
EU brainstorms on how to brace for US tariffs as 90-day window opens
With higher US tariffs postponed by 90 days, European Union finance ministers will brainstorm on Friday how to use that time to secure a trade deal with Washington and coordinate their efforts to handle higher tariffs if talks fail. US President Donald Trump suspended on Wednesday the reciprocal 20 percent tariffs imposed on Europe on April 2, giving a 90-day reprieve. A 10 percent rate remains in place, as it does for most countries globally. Trump also said he expected Europe to buy more US oil and gas as part of efforts to rebalance the trade relationship. 'The fact that we will have 90 days' respite is, quite frankly, very helpful, because this means that we can now strategise and we'll have 90 days to prepare ourselves in case there is no trade deal with the Americans,' said one senior EU official involved in preparing the ministerial talks. Negotiations with Washington are led by the European Commission, which is responsible for trade policy across the 27-nation EU. If a trade agreement is reached within the next three months — possibly along the lines of the EU's proposal for zero tariffs on all industrial goods — the issue could be resolved. But a no-deal outcome remains on the table, which would shift the burden to national governments. They would be tasked with supporting the sectors hit hardest: steel, aluminium, cars, timber and pharmaceuticals. US tariffs of 25 percent are already in place on steel, aluminium and cars. The European Central Bank and the European Commission estimate that the impact of US tariffs on the EU economy could total 0.5 to 1.0 percent of GDP. With EU economic growth projected at just 0.9 percent this year, the tariffs could tip the bloc into recession. Coordinating support measures will be essential, as some governments have more fiscal space than others. Without coordination, such disparities could distort fair competition within the single market. 'Ministers will share their views on how one could react at the national level, but then the idea is to coordinate, because we wouldn't like to see a race to flood national markets with money in an uncoordinated way,' the official said on condition of anonymity. 'Not every member state has the same fiscal space. So that's why we have this discussion on national reactions and the coordination of our responses in a way that would not be harmful to the single market,' the official added. The EU's single market of 450 million consumers remains one of its strongest assets in trade disputes. But to maximise its power, the EU must address regulatory constraints that function like tariffs. The International Monetary Fund estimates intra-EU trade barriers are equivalent to a 44 percent tariff on goods and a 110 percent tariff on services. EU ministers are likely to focus on reducing these barriers as a key response to US tariffs.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EU brainstorms on how to brace for US tariffs as 90-day window opens
By Jan Strupczewski WARSAW (Reuters) - With higher U.S. tariffs postponed by 90 days, European Union finance ministers will brainstorm on Friday how to use that time to get a trade deal with Washington and how to coordinate their efforts to handle higher tariffs if they do not. U.S. President Donald Trump suspended on Wednesday for 90 days the reciprocal tariffs of 20% he imposed on Europe on April 2, though a 10% rate is in place as it is with most other countries globally. He also said he expected Europe to buy more U.S. oil and gas as part of the rebalancing of the trade relationship. "The fact that we will have 90 days respite is, quite frankly, very helpful, because this means that we can now strategise and we'll have 90 days to prepare ourselves in case there is no trade to deal with the Americans," said one senior EU official involved in preparing the ministerial talks. Negotiations with Washington on how to avoid higher tariffs altogether are handled by the European Commission, which is in charge of trade policy for the whole 27-nation EU. If there is a deal with the U.S. on trade within the next three months, possibly along the lines of the EU's zero-tariff proposal on all industrial goods, the problem would be solved. But a no-deal outcome is also possible, which would leave the response in the hands of the 27 EU governments that will have to help the industrial sectors hit hardest. The most affected industries are steel, aluminium, cars, timber and pharmaceuticals. U.S. tariffs of 25% are already in place on steel, aluminium and cars. The European Central Bank and the European Commission estimate the impact of the U.S. tariffs on the EU economy would be substantial and total 0.5% to 1.0% of GDP. Given the EU economy as a whole is forecast to grow 0.9% this year, according to the ECB, the U.S. tariffs could put the EU in recession. Coordination of industry support will be key because some governments have stronger public finances and can afford to help their companies while others cannot. Such inequality would distort fair competition in the single EU market. "Ministers will share their view as to how one could react at the national level, but then the idea is to coordinate, because we wouldn't like to see a race to flood national markets with money in an uncoordinated way," the official said on condition of anonymity. "Not every member state has the same fiscal space. So that's why we have this discussion on national reactions and the coordination of our national responses in a way that would not be harmful to the single market," the official added. The EU's single market of 450 million consumers is one of the biggest assets the bloc has in any trade disputes, but to make it really effective, the EU must reduce the regulatory constraints that effectively act as tariffs. The International Monetary Fund estimates intra-EU trade barriers are equivalent to a 44% tariff on goods and a 110% tariff on services. EU ministers are likely to focus on reducing these obstacles to EU trade as a key response to U.S. tariffs.
