There is a lot happening in Brussels that could have a real impact on business travel.
During our recent “What’s Cooking in Brussels?” webinar, BT4Europe took a closer look at the key European policy developments on our radar — and how we are working to ensure that the voice of business travel is heard.
Here are four areas to watch:
🌱 SUSTAINABILITY
From ambition to implementation
With CountEmissionsEU now agreed, the focus is shifting to implementation — ensuring that reliable and comparable emissions data can actually flow through the business travel ecosystem, from transport providers to TMCs, booking tools and corporate buyers.
The Working Group is also following developments around EU ETS and the future use of revenues from carbon pricing.
2027 focus: making CountEmissionsEU work for business travel — and looking at how accommodation could eventually be included.
🚆 BUSINESS IMPACT
Making the European journey simpler
The proposed “One Journey, One Ticket” approach could have important implications for business travellers using multiple rail operators across Europe.
BT4Europe is following developments around booking, ticketing and passenger rights, with the aim of ensuring that business travel is properly considered as the European system evolves.
2027 focus: raising awareness of the economic importance of business travel and ensuring it has a stronger place in the European tourism agenda.
📄 A1 SIMPLIFICATION
From breakthrough to implementation
The A1 reform represents an important step forward for business travellers undertaking genuine business trips.
But the work does not stop with the legislation.
The next challenge is implementation across Member States — with clear, consistent and practical guidance for employers, HR, mobility teams and travellers.
2027 focus: implementation, implementation, implementation.
📊 FACTS & FIGURES
You cannot represent what you cannot measure
Good advocacy needs good evidence.
BT4Europe is working to make business travel more visible in European statistics and to ensure that data can identify business travel as a distinct purpose of travel.
The European business travel market represents an estimated €348.6 billion in annual spend, with around 69% generated on the ground through accommodation, food & beverage and ground transport.
2027 focus: getting business travel recognised in EU tourism data — and building a stronger picture of the wider economic impact of business travel.
ONE COMMON MESSAGE
Across all four Working Groups, the message is clear:
Business travel needs to be better understood, better measured and better represented in European policymaking.
That is where BT4Europe brings value: connecting the national business travel associations and bringing the industry’s perspective into the European policy debate.
Want to contribute?
BT4Europe welcomes input, real-life examples and expertise from the business travel community. Your experience can help shape our work.
More Brussels updates are coming in October. Stay tuned.
