FBTA
Founded in 1984, the Finnish Business Travel Association is an organization for business travel buyers and suppliers, with the mission to enhance the understanding, knowledge and skills required in corporate travel and meetings management as well as procurement.
Geopolitical uncertainty, tighter travel budgets and increased regulatory compliance are reshaping business travel – and how it is being managed. Findings from BTN Europe’s latest Salary & Job Satisfaction Survey indicate that travel managers now oversee an ever-expanding portfolio of responsibilities that extend well beyond procurement to also encompass the broader field of mobility.
Read full article from BTN Europe’s Lauren Arena here
The EU beginning final negotiations on the revision of the Package Travel Directive (PTD) BT4Europe to warn of over-regulation, which could harm both passengers and the many small businesses that form Europe's tourism sector.
BT4Europe is calling for a clear and functional definition of travel packages, so that business trips are strictly separated from holiday trips. Intermediaries must be able to continue to arrange multiple individual services at the traveller's request without being automatically classified as tour operators and taking on full responsibility. In BT4Europe's view, the Council of Ministers' proposal to re-establish a clear distinction between travel packages and individual travel services is the correct and necessary solution.
Exclusion of business travel
BT4Europe welcomes the Council of Ministers” decision to abandon the unworkable ”24-hour rule” which would have created legal uncertainty and confusion for both passengers and operators. BT4Europe Chairman Patrick Diemer: ”Business travel must clearly be excluded from the directive. The PTD is designed to protect consumers, not businesses – and applying it to business travel would impose unnecessary burdens on small travel agents while giving larger players an unfair advantage.”
The BT4Europe press release can be read in full here.
On September 23, 3pm – 4pm CEST (klo 16 – 17 Suomen aikaa) Nomadic’s Carsten Østberg will join Fragomen Partner Jo Antoons and Immigration Manager Andreia Ghimis for an exploration of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) and ETIAS. They’ll discuss how automation is reshaping borders—and, crucially, what this means for travellers, employers, and global mobility programs.
With EES launching on 12 October 2025 and ETIAS expected in late 2026, this session will explore how automation is reshaping borders – and what it means for travellers, employers, and global mobility programs.
Sähköisen ESTA-matkustusluvan hinta lähes tuplaantuu: 30.9.2025 hinta nousee nykyisestä
21 US-dollarista 40 dollariin. Myönnetty ESTA on voimassa kaksi vuotta ja jos suunnitelmissa on matkustusta Yhdysvaltoihin, korotukselta välttyy kun täyttää ja maksaa hakemuksen 29.9. mennessä.
EU Entry/Exit System Entry/Exit System (EES) It will be gradually introduced in EU countries from 12.10.2025. The Entry/Exit System is a new tool for managing Europe's borders. The system will provide authorities with information about citizens from non-EU countries entering and staying within the territory of the Member States. It is part of a comprehensive effort by the EU to strengthen the control of Schengen external borders and enhance internal security within the EU.
The use of EES will be gradually introduced at border checks with a six-month transition period. This will give authorities, the tourism industry, and travellers time to adapt to the changes. The Border Guard will communicate separately about the impact of the introduction of the border crossing information system on travellers.
In addition to the Entry/Exit System (EES), the EU's Smart Borders package includes the EU common travel information and authorisation system (ETIAS = European Travel Information and Authorisation System), which is equivalent to travellers’ pre-registration systems used around the world. The ETIAS system is intended to be implemented during 2026.
Links:
https://intermin.fi/rajaturvallisuus/alykkaat-rajat
https://raja.fi/alykkaat-rajat
https://raja.fi/ees
https://raja.fi/etias
The GBTA Sustainability Acceleration Challenge 2025 is now open. What's it all about?
The GBTA Sustainability Acceleration Challenge aims to enable organisations of all sizes and across the globe to launch, advance, and accelerate their emission-reducing business travel practices. The challenge provides travel managers and those responsible for sourcing business travel services with the tools to take the necessary actions on the journey towards net zero by 2050.
By participating in the challenge, you can compare your sustainable development practices with other industry players and create models for development.
You assess your company's starting situation by answering a confidential survey, which is free of charge. The survey is open until 23 September.. Once it has closed and the results are ready, your company will receive a tailored report that includes your company's score and its performance compared to industry averages.
Read more and join the global challenge here!