BT4Europe, the European Network of Business travel Associations, has urged the European Commission to urgently press ahead with their proposals to digitalise travel documents.
BT4 Europe has today responded to the European Commission’s consultation on the range of significant measures that are currently under consideration to promote the use of digital travel documents, alongside traditional physical documents such as passports and identity cards.
In a bid to enhance cross-border travel efficiency, the Commission is exploring various policy options, ranging from voluntary cooperation to the implementation of mandatory digital travel documents across the European Union.
The potential introduction of digital travel documents is highly anticipated and widely regarded as an urgently needed development by BT4Europe.
Patrick W. Diemer – BT4Europe Chair says: ‘Business travelers, in particular, have already embraced the convenience of digital travel documents in the form of electronic boarding passes for air and rail travel. The digitalization of officially required paper documents, including passports, identity cards, visas, vaccination certificates, and others, would be a significant step forward, simplifying cross-border travel procedures.’
To facilitate this transition effectively, several key considerations have been put forward by BT4Europe.
- Ambitious Implementation: BT4Europe urges an ambitious implementation of digital travel documents, either through mandatory digitalization or the creation of a new mandatory digital travel document.
- Phased Adoption: The initial focus should be on implementing digital travel documents within the Schengen area, with plans for broader adoption across the entire European Union at a later stage.
- Cross-Border and International Travel: While starting with cross-border traffic within the EU, BT4Europe aims to ensure that digital travel documents are adaptable to international travel from and into the EU.
- Pragmatic Implementation: To ensure a smooth transition, BT4europeencourages quick and pragmatic implementation. While making digital documents a mandatory option, states should be allowed to require paper documents initially as a fallback measure.
- Comprehensive Digitalization: Recognizing that passports and identity cards are not the only documents to be digitalized. Visas, vaccination certificates, are among others, equally important.
