[QUOTE=mpkz;35543306]There is no protection for the connection even if they check you in for both flights i.e. no responsibility to reroute you but usual delay compensation applies, i.e. if the inbound from USA is delayed >3 hours it will mean 600e of compensation. /QUOTE]
No, EU261 does not apply on split tickets, unless it is sold as 1 booking by an (O)TA. CJEU has just ruled on that, if the customers books something as 1 trip, i.e. on kiwi.com, EU261 still applies even if the OTA has issued split tickets and the airlines have no idea of the other airlines segments.
But if you do split bookings yourself, you won't get nada.