Business travel association network BT4Europe has achieved a “breakthrough” in its long-running campaign for corporate travellers to be exempted from the requirements of the EU’s A1 form.
BT4Europe has welcomed a provisional deal reached between the European Parliament and the Council, which represents the governments of EU member states, that will remove the need for travellers to fill out an A1 certificate for business trips and short-term cross-border postings between EU countries.
The A1 form, which was introduced by the EU in 2010, requires travellers to provide proof of payment of social security in another member state, which currently includes short-term business travellers crossing between countries. It has long been criticised for creating unnecessary “red tape” for EU-based corporate travellers.
BT4Europe has been calling for a 14-day exemption for business travellers from having to fill out the A1 form for several years.
Odete Pimenta da Silva, treasurer at BT4Europe, said: “This is a landmark achievement for business travel in Europe. Removing the A1 requirement for short-term cross-border business travel eliminates a disproportionate administrative burden that affected millions of trips each year.
“It also demonstrates that, even after years of stalled negotiations, pragmatic solutions at EU level are possible when there is clear alignment on the needs of the Single Market.”
The A1 rule is set to be amended by the EU as part of a revamp on the co-ordination of social security systems across member states. It has also implemented a strategy to simplify rules and reduce administrative burdens.
BT4Europe said its “sustained engagement” with policymakers had helped to keep this issue “firmly on the agenda”. The European Commission finally backed plans to remove the A1 requirement for business travellers in October 2025.
The proposed changes to the A1 rules are expected to be formally endorsed by the EU in the next few months, after which it will come into force across the 27 countries.
BT4Europe added in a statement that it would be working with EU institutions to ensure the “final text is formally adopted” and that there is consistent implementation across member states.