TOURISTS who book their holidays over the internet rather than using a travel agency are to get new consumer protections as a result of an overhaul of existing EU legislation.

New measures are being introduced to protect people who organise their own holidays instead of using travel agents.

Europe’s governments today gave the go-ahead for the first EU-wide safety standards for “childproof” locks on windows and balcony doors.

TOYS and products designed for children, such as baby walkers, cots and soothers, accounted for by far the largest number of dangerous items withdrawn from sale last year in EU member states.

A CHEMICAL used in leather goods such as sofas and shoes which caused burn-like blisters and rashes is to be banned throughout the EU.

THE EU is to introduce safety standards for all baby walkers made in, or imported, into Europe.

The European Commission today stepped up its attack on airlines misleading passengers over the real cost of travel – and warned that it would take action against them if national authorities fail to do so.

Irish consumers will be safer when they shop online thanks to a new policy introduced by the European Commission.

AN EU initiative is to be set up that will help victims of consumer scams who are currently facing unsatisfactory barriers to compensation.

China remains the biggest source of imported consumer goods which trigger safety alerts across Europe, new figures showed today.

Scientists issued a health warning to the personal music generation today about noise levels from their in-ear entertainment.

PRE-TICKED boxes and other means of tricking consumers into spending more when buying online are to be banned under stricter protection for consumers.

Consumers shopping across European borders are to get sweeping new rights and guarantees under plans unveiled in Brussels today.

European Union and Danish officials have named and shamed more online travel operators and airlines in an ongoing crackdown against misleading ads and rip-off consumer price schemes.

FANS going to the UEFA European Football Championships are urged to put one number into their mobile before travelling — 00 800 67891011.

A THIRD of consumers booking flights online are in danger of being ripped off, misled or confused, according to an EU report.

One third of customers buying plane tickets online are being ripped off or misled, the European Commission warned today.

Product safety warnings across Europe soared last year – but a new report says the increase is more to do with tougher monitoring and controls than shoddier goods reaching the market.

A British-born scheme to boost the consumer confidence of youngsters with learning difficulties was recognised at an awards ceremony in Brussels today.

CASH-STRAPPED consumers got some good news yesterday after the EU moved one step closer to enabling 500 million EU citizens to avail of better and cheaper loans.

New rules opening up Europe’s consumer credit market will help 500 million people get better and cheaper loans if the move is approved by MEPs in Strasbourg tomorrow.

The European Commission announced a crackdown on toy safety today after a series of scares posing potential risks to children.

AIRLINES across Europe have been given four months to stop misleading customers on their ticket sales websites or face closure.

CONSUMER watchdogs want to change Irish law so consumers can jointly take on big companies in the courts for the first time.

Mattel has "a lot of ground to cover to rebuild trust in the toy industry", the European Union's consumer chief Meglena Kuneva told the company on Thursday.

China has not kept promises to provide information about what actions it has taken against makers of products recalled in Europe, the European Union’s consumer protection chief says.

FOR the first time, toys have topped the list of dangerous consumer goods removed from shop shelves in the EU.

IRISH consumers being ripped off by companies selling anything from insurance to holidays should be able to take US-style class actions to win compensation, the European Commission says.

CROSS-BORDER scams are costing Europeans billions of euro each year but a crackdown being launched today should make life harder for the fraudsters.