All published updates

Q&A on the Affordable Housing Act: short-term rentals and housing stress

The European Commission published a Q&A on the Affordable Housing Act, explaining its background and short-term rental impact. A June 2025 Eurobarometer found 40% of Europeans see affordable housing as an immediate and urgent problem where they live, rising to 51% in cities. Between 2018 and 2024, short-term rental activity across the four major platforms grew 93%. The Act provides a common framework to identify areas under housing stress, enabling targeted local measures, while decisions remain with Member States and local authorities. It does not ban short-term rentals or give the EU competence over housing.

European Commission Proposes New Public Procurement Act to Simplify Rules and Strengthen European P…

The European Commission proposed a new Public Procurement Act consolidating three existing procurement directives and procurement provisions scattered across sectoral legislation into a single directly applicable regulation, aiming to simplify rules, cut administrative burden and increase legal certainty. EU public procurement spending is about €2.6 trillion a year, around 15% of GDP. The proposal is expected to deliver annual administrative savings of €650 million, including €80 million for public buyers and €570 million for economic operators. The Best Price-Quality Ratio would become the standard award method, with quality criteria weighted at least 30%, or 50% for labour-intensive contr…

Q&A on the European Innovation Act: R&D procurement and IP

The European Commission published a Q&A on the European Innovation Act, explaining R&D procurement rules and IP support measures. R&D procurement currently represents about 0.6% (€17 billion) of annual EU public procurement expenditure, while other leading economies invest 5 to 8 times more. The Act would create common R&D procurement rules, providing legal certainty, and is expected to save public buyers €1 billion per year and generate €25.92 billion in additional annual profits for companies. A Competence Centre within EUIPO will support IP-backed finance and commercialisation.

Google Strips Out EU Travel Search Features to Avoid More Fines

In response to EU Digital Markets Act enforcement, Google is scaling back travel search features for European users. The revamped results page will show separate units for third-party aggregators and direct suppliers, but users can no longer filter by travel dates, check live pricing, or use descriptive tags like 'budget' or 'boutique'. Additionally, Google is removing its vacation rentals unit from European search results as early as September 8, though feeds still power results on Google Maps and google.com/hotels.

EU Ends Border 'Safety Valve' as Airlines Warn of More Delays

The EU policy that allowed member states to temporarily suspend parts of the Entry-Exit System (EES) during peak demand lapsed on Sunday. Border authorities now lack a formal release valve for the first time since biometric registration became mandatory in April. Ryanair has called on the European Commission to reinstate the ability to pause checks until at least April 2027, arguing airports and border authorities need more time to fix kiosks and increase staffing.

Impact and considerations

Full EES enforcement may lead to longer border processing times at European airports, impacting business traveler efficiency and increasing flight delay risks.

Joint Declaration on Relations Between EU and Greenland

The EU, Greenland, and Denmark signed a joint declaration to strengthen cooperation in education, infrastructure, ocean governance, natural resources, energy, connectivity, sustainable tourism, and more. The declaration emphasizes sustainable development and climate action, and plans to deepen economic ties and investment.

EU Sends Additional Aid to Nepal as Floods Cause Severe Humanitarian Conditions

The EU is providing additional aid to Nepal after devastating floods, including a Humanitarian Air Bridge flight carrying 82 tonnes of supplies and €500,000 in funding. This follows €2 million in emergency aid allocated on 28 August and nearly €3 million already allocated for disaster preparedness in 2026. Several countries are sending equipment via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

Impact and considerations

Floods in Nepal disrupt transport and communications, affecting business travel. EU aid supports recovery, but travelers should monitor local conditions.

Commission Adopts EU Guidelines on Exclusionary Abuses of Dominance

The European Commission adopted Guidelines on the application of Article 102 TFEU to exclusionary abuses, replacing the 2008 Guidance. The Guidelines are based on EU Courts' case law and provide a modern and economically sound framework, covering predatory pricing, margin squeeze, exclusive dealing, and refusal to supply, aiming to enhance legal certainty and increase enforcement consistency.

EU Endorses Greece's €4.8B Social Climate Plan

The European Commission has adopted Greece's Social Climate Plan, totaling €4.77 billion, with €3.57 billion from the EU and €1.2 billion from national funds. The plan aims to support vulnerable households, transport users, and micro-enterprises in the clean transition, including building renovations, heat pump installations, public transport improvements, and electric vehicle leasing. It is expected to reduce emissions by 811,000 tons of CO2 equivalent annually by 2032.

Solidarity Lanes: Latest Figures – July 2026

The European Commission released July 2026 figures for the Solidarity Lanes. Since May 2022, the lanes have enabled Ukraine to export about 230 million tonnes of goods and import about 111 million tonnes. In July 2026, around 90% of Ukrainian imports and 95% of non-agricultural exports moved via the lanes. Total trade value is estimated at EUR 304 billion.

EU AI Act Impacts North American Hospitality: Pricing Engines Need Audits

The EU AI Act took effect in August 2026 with extraterritorial reach, requiring North American hotel groups with EU operations or European bookings to comply. The article emphasizes auditing dynamic pricing systems to distinguish personalization from surveillance pricing, and monitoring U.S. state legislation.

Lawsuit Against Delta Raises a Bigger Question: How Airlines Use Carbon Offsets

A U.S. judge rejected Delta Air Lines' bid to dismiss a California class action lawsuit over its 'carbon neutral' advertising claims, which allegedly relied on low-quality carbon offsets. The court rejected Delta's Airline Deregulation Act preemption defense, setting a precedent. The EU's EmpCo Directive, effective late September, bans carbon-neutrality claims based solely on offsets.

What the EU AI Act means for the travel industry

The EU AI Act requires clear labeling of AI-generated content and transparency in AI interactions, with fines up to 3% of global turnover for violations. The travel industry widely uses AI-generated content; a study found about one in five hotel photos are AI-generated or heavily edited. Experts say budget and midmarket hotels may be more affected by labeling requirements, while luxury hotels already invest in professional photography. Booking Holdings expressed support for the Act and has been working on compliance for years.

EU Outlines Implementation Strategy for New Driving Licence and Disqualification Rules

The European Commission has published an implementation strategy to support Member States in applying new EU directives on driving licences and driving disqualifications. Measures include an EU-wide accompanied driving scheme for 17-year-olds, a probationary period for novice drivers, more systematic fitness-to-drive checks, and revised training and testing requirements emphasizing vulnerable road user safety. The strategy also outlines steps for mobile driving licences and EU-wide recognition of driving disqualifications.

Solidarity Lanes: Stronger Cooperation to Safeguard Ukraine's Access to World Markets

High-level representatives from Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, and the European Commission met to discuss security threats to commercial navigation in the Black Sea and the Danube, following intensified attacks on civilian ships by Russian forces. The Quad reaffirmed commitment to supporting Ukraine's access to world markets through enhanced cooperation along the Danube corridor and stands ready to implement alternative routes. Solidarity Lanes have helped Ukraine export around 226 million tonnes of goods and import around 108 million tonnes of essential merchandise.

Impact and considerations

Security threats in the Black Sea and Danube may impact supply chains and cargo transport; businesses should monitor alternative routes and disruption risks.

EU Solidarity Lanes June 2026 Data: Key Artery for Ukraine's Trade

The European Commission released latest figures for the Solidarity Lanes in June 2026. Since May 2022, the lanes have facilitated exports of about 226 million tonnes and imports of about 108 million tonnes, with total trade value estimated at EUR 296 billion. In June, around 70% of imports and 80% of non-agricultural exports moved via the lanes, while only 10% of grain exports did, with the majority still via the Black Sea.

EU Publishes Transport and Tourism Trends Report

The European Commission published a report on EU transport and tourism, covering sustainability, resilience, connectivity, safety, and social aspects. It shows around 1.4 million transport companies employing 10.4 million people. In 2025, EU tourism accommodation overnight stays exceeded 3 billion, a record. The report includes country factsheets on transport networks and alternative fuel uptake.

Spain fines Amadeus €14.4M over traveler profiling pilot

Spain's data protection authority AEPD has fined Amadeus IT Group €14.4 million over a pilot project that used passenger booking data from its GDS to profile travelers. The penalty was reduced from an initial €18 million after Amadeus made a voluntary payment without admitting liability. The investigation followed an anonymous complaint in September 2023. AEPD cited violations of GDPR Articles 14 and 6. Amadeus disagrees and plans to contest the fine in court.

Spain's Digital ID rollout goes live as hotels remain cautiously optimistic

Since April 2, hotels and other businesses in Spain are legally required to accept the new MiDNI mobile identity app as valid identification. This is part of Europe's eIDAS 2.0 framework, making Spain one of the first major live test cases for digital identity in hotel operations. The industry response is mixed, with compliance as the main driver, but fragmented technology and guest adoption remain challenges.

Trivago Files Antitrust Suit Against Google

Trivago has filed an antitrust suit against Google, alleging that Google systematically favors its own hotel metasearch over competitors, harming competition. The suit is based on EU antitrust provisions and German competition law, seeking full compensation. Trivago also reported Q1 2026 results: revenue increased 15% YoY to €142.9 million, but net loss was €7.3 million.

EASA and IATA Sign MoU to Harmonize Air Travel Emissions Calculations

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.

EASA Publishes First ReFuelEU Aviation Annual Technical Report: SAF Share 0.6% in 2024

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published its first ReFuelEU Aviation Annual Technical Report. In 2024, fuel suppliers reported that 0.6% of aviation fuel supplied at EU airports was Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), equivalent to 193 kilotonnes, avoiding around 714 kilotonnes of CO2 emissions. The mandatory target for 2025 is 2%. The average SAF price in 2024 was €2,085/tonne, far above conventional jet fuel at €734/tonne. 25 fuel suppliers provided SAF to 33 airports across 12 Member States, but 5 Member States accounted for 99% of supply. Almost all SAF was biofuel, with 81% from used cooking oil.

EASA launches IAM Hub Release 5 and updates SORA 2.5

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 and Lufthansa test EU Digital Identity Wallet

Amadeus and Lufthansa, both partners in the EU Digital Identity Wallet Consortium Large Scale pilot project, successfully tested the EUDI Wallet this summer for online check-in and in-person airport scenarios including check-in, bag-drop and boarding. Available to citizens in 2026 and provided by Member States, the EUDI Wallet securely stores identity documents such as passports and national ID cards, payment methods and biometric profiles. Amadeus has enhanced its Travel Ready solution to provide infrastructure enabling third-party wallets to operate with the travel industry, and plans to test digital travel credential use cases such as airport security and border control later in 2025.

Concur Travel Becomes the First Booking Tool to Offer ISO 14083-assured Emissions Data

SAP Concur announced that the new Concur Travel has become the first online booking tool to integrate emissions calculations assured to the ISO 14083 standard, made possible through a partnership with Thrust Carbon. ISO 14083 provides a single, globally recognized framework for calculating greenhouse gas emissions across all transportation modes and aligns with climate initiatives such as the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). CSRD mandates emissions reporting for over 50,000 companies globally starting in 2025. The GBTA 2024 Sustainability Benchmark found an average sustainability maturity score of 1.3 out of 5 across 241 assessed organizations.