The European Exhibition Industry Alliance is delighted to welcome the provisional agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council on the revision of EU social security coordination rules: a landmark outcome for the exhibition and business events industry, and for business travel in general.
After years of sustained advocacy, in close collaboration with other players in the industry, such as Business Travel for Europe (BT4Europe), the agreement will remove the A1 certificate obligation for cross-border travel for professional reasons, as well as for short-term service provision of up to three days within a 30-day period.
For the exhibition and business events industry, this is a meaningful and long-awaited simplification. Millions of exhibitors, visitors and attendees travel across European borders every year to participate in trade fairs and business events. The removal of this disproportionate administrative requirement will reduce costs and friction for companies and professionals alike, making cross-border business mobility faster and easier.
This result demonstrates what sustained, coordinated advocacy can achieve at EU level, and confirms the importance of keeping the practical needs of the Single Market at the heart of European legislative work.
The next steps will be the formal votes in the European Parliament and the Council, followed by implementation across Member States. We will continue to engage closely throughout this process.