The big problem with the EU regulations is the lack of consequences when airlines don't follow them. They can just refuse or drag their feet and the worst thing that can happen is a court ordering them to follow the rules they should have followed in the first place. Some rules about treble compensation (or a big compensation if one wasn't due in the first place) if they haven't refunded/paid compensation within, say, 60 days from first contacted would probably help a lot with cutting through the bullshit.