European Commission backs A1 Certificate exemption for short-term business travel

The European Commission has confirmed its support for exempting short-term business trips from A1 certificate requirements, marking a crucial step toward reducing administrative burden for companies across the EU. While the revision of Regulation (EC) 883/2004 on social security coordination remains ongoing, clear signals indicate that a final agreement on this exemption may be reached soon.

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What's changed?

BT4Europe, the European Network of Business Travel Associations, has received a written reply from the European Commission that it supports an exemption from PD A1 for short-term business trips as part of the ongoing revision of Reg. 883/2004. Final adoption depends on Parliament and Council.

The Commission's response, signed on behalf of Executive Vice-President Séjourné and Commissioners Dombrovskis and Tzitzikostas, acknowledges the administrative burden created by current A1 rules and confirms that business trip exemptions are already under consideration by EU co-legislators.

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Defining "Business trips" under the new framework

Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu clarified the scope of qualifying business trips in her response to BT4Europe. According to the December 2021 Provisional Agreement (not in force), "business trips" encompass:

• Employed or self-employed activities that are time-limited
• Activities related to the employer's or self-employed person's business interests
• Attending business meetings, cultural and scientific events
• Participating in conferences and seminars, including academic research
• Receiving training

Notably, the definition excludes the provision of services or delivery of goods, maintaining clear boundaries around what qualifies for exemption.

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Timeline and additional reforms

BT4Europe had advocated for a 14-day exemption alongside full digitalization of remaining procedures. The Commission supports these measures as part of its broader initiative to simplify rules and reduce administrative burden across the Single Market.

The Commission also outlined its digital transformation roadmap:

• Complete online PD A1 procedures under the Single Digital Gateway Regulation
• End of 2025: Finalize impact study on digital interoperability between A1 and posting declarations
• 2026: Introduce European Social Security Pass as part of the Fair Labour Mobility Package for real-time digital verification

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Why individual trip assessment remains critical

While this development represents significant progress, it doesn't eliminate the need for careful evaluation of each business trip. Companies must still determine whether specific travel arrangements qualify for exemption or require A1 certificates under the new guidelines.

The exemption's scope - limited to certain types of business activities and time frames - means that organizations need thorough processes to assess each trip's A1 certificate requirements. Manual evaluation of trip purposes, durations, and activities remains time consuming and prone to errors.

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How WorkFlex automates A1 compliance under new rules

WorkFlex eliminates the guesswork around A1 certificate requirements by automating compliance for every trip request. Here's how our platform works:

• Intelligent trip assessment: For each business trip, WorkFlex captures trip purpose, duration, and activities, then automatically determines whether the new business travel exemption applies or if an A1 certificate is required.
• Automated A1 processing: When certificates are needed, WorkFlex handles the entire application process automatically across 25+ countries, ensuring compliance without manual intervention.
• Real-time regulatory updates: As the exemption framework evolves through the legislative process, WorkFlex's compliance engine updates automatically to reflect the latest requirements.

The result? Your employees submit travel requests, and WorkFlex ensures complete compliance - whether that means confirming exemption eligibility or securing the necessary A1 certificates behind the scenes.

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Looking ahead

With Cyprus holding the Council Presidency in H1-2026, an agreement may be within reach - but no A1 certificate exemption for short-term business trips applies until an act is adopted and published. Until these changes are fully implemented, companies need reliable systems to manage the current compliance requirements while preparing for the simplified future framework.

WorkFlex automates this transition, ensuring your organization maintains full compliance today while seamlessly adapting to tomorrow's regulations. As the regulatory landscape evolves, your compliance processes remain effortless and error-free.