Business travel association network BT4Europe has welcomed the European Commission’s support for exempting short-term business travellers from filling out the A1 document.
BT4Europe, which has been campaigning for an A1 form exemption, said it had received a response from the commission recognising “the administrative burden caused by the current A1 rules” and confirming that an exemption for short-term business travel is “under discussion”.
“This is an important milestone,” said Odete Pimenta da Silva, treasurer of BT4Europe. “The European business travel community has been calling for years to remove this unnecessary red tape for short-term trips. The commission’s explicit support shows that our message has been heard.”
The EU’s A1 form, which was introduced in 2010, requires travellers to provide proof of payment of social security in another member state and this currently includes short-term business travellers crossing between countries. BT4Europe is calling for a 14-day exemption for business travellers.
The A1 rule could be changed by the EU as part of a planned revamp of its regulation on the co-ordination of social security systems across member states, which is part of a wider plan to simplify rules and reduce administrative burdens.
“BT4Europe continues to urge the European Parliament and the Council to reach a swift final agreement on this exemption, ensuring that short-term business travel remains frictionless, competitive and compliant within the European Union,” added the business travel group in a statement.
The commission has also reiterated other ongoing proposals such as being able to fully complete the A1 procedure online, under the Single Digital Gateway Regulation.