Communications
The European travel and tourism industry expresses its deep concern over the European Commission’s recent proposal to increase the ETIAS travel authorisation fee from €7 to €20 per application, nearly a threefold increase compared to the original amount agreed in 2018. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), expected to become operational in late 2026, will require visa-exempt non-EU travellers to obtain an online authorisation before entering the EU and pay a fee prior to travelling to the Schengen Area.
July 2025 BUSINESSES NEED GOOD LEGISLATION IN THE EU: THE CURRENT GREEN CLAIMS DIRECTIVE MISSES THE MARK
2 July 2025 As companies that are taking sustainability seriously, we are in favour of rules to tackle greenwashing. In today’s global challenges, companies need good legislation that is workable, predictable and harmonised for all parties. In its current form, the Green Claims Directive does not meet those objectives. It fails to solve the many shortcomings we have been raising for all companies, not only microenterprises. It will discourage companies from communicating legitimate sustainability efforts (greenhushing), diverting critical resources from sustainability innovation to compliance. This undermines the EU's competitiveness and simplification agenda and goals of fostering consumer information. Given the current context, we urge policymakers to oppose the proposal in its current form.
Recognising that tourism has been “badly hit” by the COVID-19 crisis, ECTAA is pleased to see that Tourism Ministers are eager to use the EU Recovery Fund for tourism. ECTAA also welcomes their support for a “harmonized solution” for refunding travel packages, including vouchers (link).