EU launches helpline for Euro 2008 fans

Less than a month from the start of the European Football Championship in Austria and Switzerland, the European Commission, with the collaboration of UEFA, yesterday launched an information campaign including a free phone helpline in Maltese (0080 06789 1011) to help fans, particularly those travelling to watch the games, resolve problems they might face.

The campaign deals mainly with consumer issues - from fake match tickets to transferring tickets in the case of illness, to air travel, roaming charges, EU health insurance and problems of shopping abroad.

An EU-UEFA online consumer leaflet setting out clear advice for fans travelling to the tournament is available at www.euro2008.com and on the European Commission's website at www.supportersrights.eu while a freephone consumers' rights helpline service will run in all EU languages throughout the tournament from June 1.

The Commission said the EU-UEFA campaign is being run with the support of the network of 27 European consumer centres, which will provide advice to fans on consumer issues before they leave and additional support, by contacting companies or following through on complaints, to fans once they get home.

Malta's consumer centre can be contacted on 2122 1901.

UEFA's European Football Championship, which takes place every four years, is expected to attract up to five million football fans to Austria and Switzerland. They will be travelling specifically to the tournament and watch the games both in the stadiums and on large screens in specially-designed fan zones.

The opening match will take place on June 7 in Basel and the final will be held in Vienna on June 29.