New EU Plans Set to Make Business Travel More Efficient and Sustainable: GBTA Welcomes this Week’s Announcements on High-Speed Rail and Sustainable Transport as Part of its[...]

GBTA, the leading voice of the global business travel industry, met in Brussels this week with key policymakers from the European Commission, European Parliament and upcoming EU Council Presidency to advance policies that support a thriving, sustainable and modernised business travel ecosystem.

Over the course of four days, GBTA leaders and its European Advisory Board chairperson engaged in over 20 meetings to discuss policy priorities for business travel and how GBTA's calls to action can be reflected in new EU developments and upcoming policy initiatives announced over the past few weeks.

Driving Seamless and Secure Mobility Across Borders: GBTA Commits to Support the Smooth Roll-out of New EU Travel Systems EES and ETIAS

In a meeting with the EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, GBTA emphasised the importance of seamless and secure travel across borders. The association offered its collaboration to both the European Union and the U.S. Mission on the implementation of new travel procedures such as the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), by coordinating advanced, factual communications with its members.

GBTA also indicated that it will support the EU Digital Travel Credentials once released by the European Commission next year, on the condition that it aligns with its call for an interoperable and opt-in system where business travellers' data privacy is guaranteed.

Making Business Travel More Resilient: GBTA Applauds New Investment Plans in Sustainable Aviation Fuel Announced by the EU this Week

Recognising the need for the development of viable solutions to decarbonise travel, GBTA urged the EU to consider further incentives for the production and adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). In this context, GBTA welcomes this week's announcement to mobilise close to €3 billion until the end of 2027 and launch an eSAF Early Movers Coalition pilot project under the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP).

The association also called for a fast adoption of the CountEmissionsEU initiative - for which a political agreement is imminent - as a way to provide accurate, comparable, and transparent emissions across all modes of transport.
Finally, GBTA asked for the recognition of the business travel sector as a key driver of progress in future EU travel and tourism policy initiatives, including the Sustainable Tourism Strategy that will be released next year.

Unlocking Rail for Business Travel: GBTA Welcomes EU Plans on Single Booking and Ticketing for Rail, alongside Better Traveller Safeguards for Cross-border Journeys

In light of the European Commission's announcement this week of a major investment plan to accelerate high-speed rail across the EU - including proposals to establish interoperability and data-sharing requirements for cross-border services - GBTA highlighted the importance of making rail a viable option for business travel, with better access to content, multimodal connections and clarity of refund and journey continuation rules.

These developments directly align with business travel imperatives: shorter transit times, improved connectivity between key business hubs and more reliable options to substitute flights with rail where feasible. GBTA views the modernised rail-network agenda as a major step toward a more efficient, sustainable travel environment for corporate travellers.

"Business travel is a vital driver of economic growth, international collaboration and innovation," said Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA. "Our meetings in Brussels reflect GBTA's long-standing commitment to shaping a policy environment that supports traveller mobility, sustainability and modernisation. We look forward to continued dialogue and partnership with EU leaders to ensure the business travel sector remains resilient and forward-looking."

GBTA's Brussels visit underscores its role as a proactive and trusted partner in shaping the future of travel. The association will continue to engage with global stakeholders to ensure that business travel remains a catalyst for progress and connection.

GBTA invites industry stakeholders, policymakers, and partners to collaborate in advancing smart, sustainable and inclusive travel approaches and policies for business travel. To learn more about GBTA's advocacy efforts or to get involved, visit the GBTA Advocacy web page here.

Photo caption (left to right): Shane Downey, Vice President, Government Relations, GBTA; Fulvio Origo, Country Manager, Italy, GBTA; Magnus Brunner, EU Commissioner, Internal Affairs and Migration; Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA; Delphine Millot, Senior Vice President, Advocacy, GBTA

About GBTA | The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world's premier business travel and meetings trade organization serving stakeholders across six continents. GBTA and its 9,000+ members represent and advocate for the $1.57 trillion global business travel and meetings industry. GBTA and the GBTA Foundation deliver world-class education, events, research, advocacy, and media to a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts. For more information, visit GBTA.org and GBTAFoundation.org.