The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for French Guiana, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for São Tomé and Príncipe, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for San Marino, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice notes that entering San Marino requires travelling through Italy and recommends reading Italy travel advice, while also covering warnings, insurance and travel insurance.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for Eswatini, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for Réunion, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for Dominica, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for Panama, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore synergies between the EU Flight Emissions Label (FEL) and IATA's environmental data ecosystem—EcoHub and the CO2 Connect calculator. The goal is to streamline processes so CO2 emissions data is visible and consistent for passengers at the time of booking. The FEL stems from an EU regulation launched in 2024 under EASA's responsibility; airlines from both EU and non-EU countries covered by Regulation (EU) 2023/2405 'ReFuelEU Aviation' can voluntarily join, and only participating airlines may display emissions to passengers in the EU.
Indonesia's Directorate General of Immigration has become the first authority in the world to deploy Amadeus' biometric corridors at scale. The technology uses AI-enabled biometrics to validate passenger identities in motion through wide corridors, without stopping or presenting documents. As part of the 'All Indonesia' initiative, two corridors are deployed at Jakarta airport and one at Surabaya, initially for elderly and disabled travelers, with future plans for all passengers. During the Hajj pilgrimage, each corridor processed 30+ border crossings per minute at peak times, a more than ten-fold capacity increase over existing eGates, processing over 50,000 pilgrims.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Norway's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA Norway) signed a cooperation agreement at the Zero Emission Regional Aviation Conference 2025 (ZERAC25), driving innovation, research and learning through Norway's International Test Arena. The Test Arena, set up by CAA Norway and infrastructure and airspace provider Avinor, connects industry, research and regulators. The partners will work on real-world demonstration of cutting-edge solutions such as electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft, coordinating joint activities on technology testing, knowledge development, regulatory gaps and professional training, aiming to fast-track the transition to zero…
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) launched the fifth release of its Innovative Air Mobility (IAM) Hub on 9 October 2025, alongside an updated SORA 2.5. The new version simplifies authorisation for UAS operations in the specific category by clarifying text, reducing room for interpretation, and lowering the evidence required for most low-risk Visual Line of Sight (SAIL II) operations, while relaxing certain requirements on containing drones within the operational volume. Release 5 adds a Drone Rule Navigator, the eSORA tool with a cross-border operations feature, a UAM guide co-created by UIC2, and new population density and land use data.
Amadeus announced the extension of its collaboration with the Australian Department of Home Affairs and its subsidiary Vision-Box Australia under a new multi-year agreement to continue supporting the Departure SmartGates program across ten Australian international airports. The agreement includes a mid-life refresh of the SmartGates infrastructure and deployment of Amadeus Visiontec facial recognition technology to extend asset life and ensure contemporary technology. Amadeus has been the provider since the program's inception in 2015.
The U.S. Department of State updated its Cuba travel advisory on May 7, 2025, keeping it at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution due to crime and unreliable electrical power. It notes rising petty and violent crime, and stresses that U.S. law prohibits travel to, from or within Cuba for tourist activities, with OFAC regulating such travel; traveling without an appropriate license is illegal and violations may lead to penalties and criminal prosecution. Since October 2024 Cuba has seen several prolonged nationwide power outages, with daily scheduled and unscheduled cuts of up to 12 hours in Havana and longer outside the capital.
The U.S. REAL ID federal compliance deadline is May 7, 2025. Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 to implement the 9/11 Commission recommendation to set minimum security standards for identification such as driver's licenses; state-issued IDs from non-compliant states will no longer be accepted by federal agencies such as TSA. Compliant IDs are generally marked with a star, and travelers can verify their state's status via the Department of Homeland Security's REAL ID page. Travelers without a REAL ID can still fly domestically using other acceptable identification, including a U.S. passport, passport card, DHS trusted traveler cards such as Global Entry, permanent resident card, or an e…
This SAP Concur blog lists 7 key components for a corporate credit card policy: eligibility requirements, acceptable uses, credit limits, documentation requirements, cardholder responsibilities, consequences for non-compliance, and written agreement.
SAP Concur published an article outlining the importance of strong expense reimbursement policies and six best practices. These include defining qualifying reimbursements, requiring receipts, reducing paperwork, setting submission deadlines, creating an approval workflow, and including quality and compliance audits. The article notes that clear policies protect both employees and the company, reduce the risk of noncompliant spend, and improve reimbursement efficiency.
SAP Concur published an article providing a template and best practices for building sustainability into travel policies. The article notes that nearly 2 in 5 travel managers expect their policies to change in the next 12 months to comply with sustainability goals. The template covers the full process from enlisting support, building knowledge, considering diversity and inclusion, to employee engagement and supplier assessment. Specific recommendations include limiting trips of two days or less, encouraging videoconferencing, directing travelers to lower-emission flights and trains, prioritizing greener accommodations within walking distance, and avoiding luxury hotels and resorts. The arti…
A SAP Concur podcast with Oren Geshuri of Deloitte discusses duty of care, emphasizing the legal obligation to protect employees. Topics include legal differences across countries, mental health, safety for LGBTQ+ and disabled travelers, risks for women travelers, policy inclusivity, and how information sharing and flexible policies improve employee experience and retention.
A SAP Concur blog post shares a podcast conversation with Lyndon Group about optimizing T&E management during disruption. Lyndon Group won the SAP Concur Partner Growth award for helping customers optimize platforms. The conversation covers ERP transitions, automation, policy creation, auditing, and regulatory changes. Key advice includes early involvement in ERP planning, leveraging automation, clear policies, and healthy auditing.
A SAP Concur blog post discusses government contract travel compliance requirements, focusing on FAR 31.205-46. This clause states that costs are allowable only if the contractor maintains specific documentation to support claimed travel costs. Required information includes date, location, purpose of travel, and traveler's name and title. The post emphasizes the importance of independent transaction records (such as cancelled checks, credit card receipts, or hotel bills) and explains how Concur Travel and Concur Expense help contractors meet compliance through OCR, TripLink integration, and automated audits.
The U.S. Sunshine Act (Open Payments) expanded the definition of 'covered recipient' to include five additional provider types: physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse midwives. Starting with 2021 data collection, life sciences companies must track payments or transfers of value to these new HCPs. The CMS Final Rule requires reporting direct or indirect payments, with penalties up to $10,000 to $100,000 per line item. Companies need to update systems, data management, and training to handle a potential increase of 350,000 to 400,000 reportable individuals.
A SAP Concur blog post advises UK SMBs to prepare for Brexit, whatever the outcome. It notes that businesses trading with or traveling to the EU may need to adjust travel, expense, and invoice processes. Specific recommendations include updating travel policies, considering prepaid currency cards, and preparing for changes to VAT refund processes.
A SAP Concur blog post states that the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) anti-bribery provisions prohibit giving anything of value to a foreign official to obtain or retain business, and enforcement actions often involve leisure activities such as travel, meals, gifts and entertainment. It says the definition of government official extends to employees of government departments or agencies, state-owned enterprises, healthcare providers and even third-party consultants helping plan hospitality events. It outlines five compliance steps: understanding your business network, implementing controls, maintaining clear records, building a comprehensive audit process and educating on clear polici…
A SAP Concur blog post notes that U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) enforcement actions continue to focus on corporate hospitality spending. Recent cases involved gift cards, spa services, sightseeing tours, shopping excursions, national park excursions and sporting-event tickets. The FCPA treats employees of state-owned or state-controlled companies and foreign health care providers as 'foreign officials,' so providing things of value to them can trigger risk. The post advises companies to track hospitality expenditures and set oversight criteria, and cites government-commended remedial measures such as compliance oversight across a broad category of business expenditures and pre-a…
SAP Concur published an article analyzing an FCPA enforcement action announced by the DOJ and SEC in August 2020. Two employees of a health and personal care products company operating in China received approximately $775,000 in reimbursements over fewer than six months through fake meal and gift invoices to fund a bribery scheme. The company agreed to pay $123 million. The article also covers the DOJ's revised Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs (ECCP), emphasizing that compliance personnel need sufficient data access for timely and effective monitoring.
An SAP Concur blog post highlights the complexity of U.S. state tax laws and compliance for employees traveling across state lines. It details the varying rules for employer withholding of non-resident state income tax and lists states that impose tax from day one, states with thresholds, and states with no income tax. The article recommends adopting integrated technology solutions to track employee travel footprints and manage multi-state tax compliance.
A SAP Concur blog Q&A with Connie Hoen, who has over 30 years of audit and compliance experience, discusses how companies can control employee spend during uncertainty. The article identifies global travel and expense policies, expense report audit programs, and reporting and analysis requirements as three impacted areas. It recommends assessing work-from-home expense policies, creating 'at home' expense types in expense software, re-evaluating receipt requirements, and training first-time expense submitters and approvers.
SAP Concur published a blog post introducing lesser-known tax benefits in the CARES Act that can help small businesses reduce their federal income tax. These benefits include: net operating losses (NOLs) can be carried back up to five years to claim refunds; the depreciable life for Qualified Improvement Property is reduced from 39 to 15 years, with bonus depreciation available; the R&D tax credit; and Section 139 relief, which allows employers to make tax-free payments to employees for COVID-related assistance.
SAP Concur blog reminds that under the 13th VAT Directive, the deadline for non-EU countries to reclaim VAT from UK business travel expenses incurred between July 1, 2017 and June 20, 2018 is December 31, 2018. There is no scope for late returns, so missing the deadline means losing the refund. The article suggests checking eligibility via SAP Concur App Center partner Taxback International.
SAP Concur issued a tax alert: the EU 8th VAT Directive allows EU-established businesses to recover VAT incurred in one of the 28 EU countries, with the 13th Directive covering non-EU businesses, and a September 30, 2018 deadline. Businesses registered in Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain may be eligible if conditions are met. Eligible expenses vary by country and personal expenses are never eligible. The post advises completing country-specific forms, noting deadline exceptions such as the UK and Cyprus, using automated systems and planning ahead.
A SAP Concur blog post notes that economic, political, and social shifts make cross-border business travel more complex. Governments are tightening border protection, and data digitization increases risks for multinational corporations. The U.S. IRS uses DHS data to check company tax returns against employees', with similar approaches in Canada, Singapore, and Australia. Companies need to understand where business travelers are, for how long, and what work they do to comply with global tax and immigration regulations. The article recommends integrating compliance checks into the travel booking workflow.
SAP Concur blog reminds that starting in 2023, non-European citizens, including Americans, will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization to visit Schengen Area countries. ETIAS is a visa waiver program created by the EU to enhance security. The authorization is valid for three years and allows stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Application requires personal information and a fee, with most approvals in minutes. The article lists Schengen countries.
This SAP Concur blog post states that a clear T&E policy reduces errors, saves time, and reduces fraud risk. Ambiguous rules lead to noncompliant expenses and employee confusion. Clear guidelines improve communication and speed up approvals. It suggests using an expense policy builder to create a personalized policy.
The article discusses tax implications of post-pandemic remote work. Due to 2020 revenue shortfalls, states may seek to broaden tax bases, including taxing remote work. Tax regulations vary by location, so business and employee tax liabilities may change based on work location. SAP Concur partners like Avalara and EY provide insights, and a new app Travel Ready helps cross-border workers comply.
The American Rescue Plan Act provides funding for state and local government IT modernization, with a deadline of December 31, 2024. Critical infrastructure projects like cloud services qualify. Travel, expense, and invoice processes are ideal for cloud migration. Automated spend management reduces costs, prevents improper payments, identifies fraud, and improves compliance.
The article explores the rise of bleisure travel (business + leisure), with a market size of $692.7 billion and projected CAGR of 17.8%. 83% of workers have taken bleisure trips, and 22% would decline a business trip without extension options. Companies need policies to manage costs, compliance, and employee well-being.
SAP Concur blog introduces the U.S. Section 179 depreciation deduction and bonus depreciation, helping businesses claim tax deductions on equipment and technology purchases. The article details deduction limits, financing options, and combining with SBA loans.
The U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act brought significant changes to business meal and entertainment deduction rules. Under the new rules, client entertainment activities (such as concerts, sporting events, golf) are no longer eligible for the 50% tax deduction, while business meals remain eligible for a 50% deduction. The article cites Treas. Reg. Section 1.274-2(b)(1) for the definition of entertainment and recommends that businesses keep clear meal records and use automated expense solutions to help collect and organize documentation.
Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, starting in 2018, business entertainment expenses are no longer deductible, whereas previously 50% were deductible. However, meals provided by an in-house cafeteria or on the employer's premises remain 50% deductible. Businesses that heavily use the entertainment deduction must assess the impact on their bottom line. SAP Concur suggests automating expense reporting and tracking to manage the transition.
A SAP Concur blog post outlines three regulatory pressures affecting business travel in 2020: tax and permanent-establishment risks in international business travel, US interstate personal income tax withholding requirements, and the EU's revised Posted Workers Directive. It cites data showing 84 public cases of Canadian immigration non-compliance in 2018 with penalties of CAD 1,000 to CAD 10,000 and 49 organizations receiving two-year bans, plus 12 public US immigration non-compliance cases with fines of $275,000 to $34 million.