Business travel across Europe remains challenging for companies that depend on international employees, technical specialists and frequent business visitors. Visa appointment availability varies between locations, Member States interpret permissible business activities differently, and applicants often have limited visibility into the status of submitted applications.
These obstacles can make it difficult for employers to plan meetings, training sessions, repairs and other essential business activities with confidence.
The European Commission's review of the EU Visa Code presents an opportunity to address these problems and improve short-term business mobility across the Schengen area.
Following a call for evidence that closed on October 6, 2026, recommendations have focused on four priorities: a trusted-employer mobility framework, clearer business visitor rules, better access to visa appointments, and more transparent refusal procedures.
A Schengen-wide trusted-employer framework could reduce this repeated administrative burden by allowing verified information to be reused across applications.
Eligible businesses and travellers could also benefit from priority appointments, faster processing and longer-validity multiple-entry visas, subject to the applicable requirements.
Existing national initiatives, including the Netherlands' Orange Carpet programme and Denmark's Red Carpet scheme, provide examples that could inform a wider European approach.
Two potential models could be considered:
Activities such as technical support, repairs and training may be accepted as business visits in one Member State but considered work requiring additional authorisation in another. The duration and circumstances of the activity may also influence the outcome.
In some cases, differences can arise even between consulates representing the same country. Employers are consequently left uncertain about whether a planned assignment qualifies as business travel or requires a work permit.
A proposed solution is to establish a common minimum definition of permissible business activities, drawing on the EU Blue Card Directive.
The recommendations also call for visa-exempt nationals to be able to undertake activities that are exempt from work authorisation without having to obtain a short-stay visa solely because they receive remuneration.
Greater consistency would help employers determine the appropriate immigration route before sending employees abroad, reducing delays and the risk of non-compliance.
Automated booking tools and intermediaries can capture appointments for resale. At the same time, measures intended to prevent abuse may inadvertently block legitimate corporate applicants using shared networks or virtual private networks.
The recommendations call for enforceable timeframes for appointment access and application processing.
Where a responsible consulate cannot offer an appointment within a reasonable period, applicants should have an alternative way to submit their applications, potentially through another consular post.
The role of external service providers is also important. Companies such as VFS Global and TLScontact manage significant parts of the application experience, but Member States should remain accountable for the services delivered on their behalf.
Proposed improvements include:
Applicants may receive a standard refusal form that identifies a general reason but provides little explanation of the decision. The problem becomes more serious when a refusal is based on incorrect factual information and there is no practical way to correct it before the planned trip.
The recommendations call for meaningful explanations of refusal decisions and a faster process for correcting factual errors.
Appeal procedures should also be effective enough to provide a decision while the intended travel is still possible.
Travel history, including information recorded through the Entry/Exit System (EES), should be assessed in context rather than treated as conclusive without considering the traveller's explanation.
Additional clarity is needed when one Member State processes an application on behalf of another. In these cases, the recommendations propose that the destination country's rules should govern the assessment, so applicants are not disadvantaged by the practices of the state handling their application.
Additional recommendations include greater flexibility for genuine frequent business travellers approaching the 90-day limit within any 180-day period, alongside more consistent application of existing travel facilitation measures.
For employers operating across several European markets, these issues are commercially significant. Delays can disrupt meetings, technical projects, training programmes and customer commitments.
A more predictable framework could help businesses move employees where and when they are needed, while maintaining immigration controls and appropriate application assessments.
Review travel requirements early. Confirm visa requirements, appointment availability and whether the planned activities are permitted under business visitor rules.
Standardise internal procedures. Maintain consistent records of business activities, supporting documents and travel history.
Plan for delays. Allow sufficient time for applications and identify alternative arrangements for essential meetings or assignments.
Distinguish business visits from work. Assess whether activities such as technical support, repairs or training require additional authorisation in the destination country.
Monitor reform developments. Track changes to the EU Visa Code and national procedures before changing existing travel practices.
These obstacles can make it difficult for employers to plan meetings, training sessions, repairs and other essential business activities with confidence.
The European Commission's review of the EU Visa Code presents an opportunity to address these problems and improve short-term business mobility across the Schengen area.
Following a call for evidence that closed on October 6, 2026, recommendations have focused on four priorities: a trusted-employer mobility framework, clearer business visitor rules, better access to visa appointments, and more transparent refusal procedures.
1. Establish a Schengen-Wide Trusted Employer Framework
Frequent business travellers and their employers often need to provide the same corporate, sponsorship and supporting information each time they apply for a Schengen C visa.A Schengen-wide trusted-employer framework could reduce this repeated administrative burden by allowing verified information to be reused across applications.
Eligible businesses and travellers could also benefit from priority appointments, faster processing and longer-validity multiple-entry visas, subject to the applicable requirements.
Existing national initiatives, including the Netherlands' Orange Carpet programme and Denmark's Red Carpet scheme, provide examples that could inform a wider European approach.
Two potential models could be considered:
- Verified-information model: Previously verified corporate and sponsorship information could be reused, while each journey would still be assessed individually.
- Pooled-resource model: Resources could be shared across participating systems, potentially allowing eligible business travellers to apply at a different Schengen consular post.
2. Clarify Which Business Activities Are Permitted
Another persistent challenge is the inconsistent interpretation of short-term business activities across European countries.Activities such as technical support, repairs and training may be accepted as business visits in one Member State but considered work requiring additional authorisation in another. The duration and circumstances of the activity may also influence the outcome.
In some cases, differences can arise even between consulates representing the same country. Employers are consequently left uncertain about whether a planned assignment qualifies as business travel or requires a work permit.
A proposed solution is to establish a common minimum definition of permissible business activities, drawing on the EU Blue Card Directive.
The recommendations also call for visa-exempt nationals to be able to undertake activities that are exempt from work authorisation without having to obtain a short-stay visa solely because they receive remuneration.
Greater consistency would help employers determine the appropriate immigration route before sending employees abroad, reducing delays and the risk of non-compliance.
3. Improve Visa Appointment Availability and Application Tracking
For many business travellers, obtaining a visa appointment is one of the biggest obstacles.Automated booking tools and intermediaries can capture appointments for resale. At the same time, measures intended to prevent abuse may inadvertently block legitimate corporate applicants using shared networks or virtual private networks.
The recommendations call for enforceable timeframes for appointment access and application processing.
Where a responsible consulate cannot offer an appointment within a reasonable period, applicants should have an alternative way to submit their applications, potentially through another consular post.
The role of external service providers is also important. Companies such as VFS Global and TLScontact manage significant parts of the application experience, but Member States should remain accountable for the services delivered on their behalf.
Proposed improvements include:
- Clear service standards and accountability.
- Reliable, transparent online application tracking.
- Effective escalation channels when problems arise.
- A clear distinction between mandatory and optional services.
4. Make Visa Refusals Clearer and Correctable
Visa refusals can create significant difficulties for both applicants and employers, particularly when a business trip is time-sensitive.Applicants may receive a standard refusal form that identifies a general reason but provides little explanation of the decision. The problem becomes more serious when a refusal is based on incorrect factual information and there is no practical way to correct it before the planned trip.
The recommendations call for meaningful explanations of refusal decisions and a faster process for correcting factual errors.
Appeal procedures should also be effective enough to provide a decision while the intended travel is still possible.
Travel history, including information recorded through the Entry/Exit System (EES), should be assessed in context rather than treated as conclusive without considering the traveller's explanation.
Additional clarity is needed when one Member State processes an application on behalf of another. In these cases, the recommendations propose that the destination country's rules should govern the assessment, so applicants are not disadvantaged by the practices of the state handling their application.
Supporting Frequent Business Travel
The proposed priorities form part of a broader effort to make short-term business travel across Europe more practical.Additional recommendations include greater flexibility for genuine frequent business travellers approaching the 90-day limit within any 180-day period, alongside more consistent application of existing travel facilitation measures.
For employers operating across several European markets, these issues are commercially significant. Delays can disrupt meetings, technical projects, training programmes and customer commitments.
A more predictable framework could help businesses move employees where and when they are needed, while maintaining immigration controls and appropriate application assessments.
What Employers Should Do Now
While the recommendations concern potential reform rather than automatically changing existing visa rules, employers can take practical steps to improve business travel planning.Review travel requirements early. Confirm visa requirements, appointment availability and whether the planned activities are permitted under business visitor rules.
Standardise internal procedures. Maintain consistent records of business activities, supporting documents and travel history.
Plan for delays. Allow sufficient time for applications and identify alternative arrangements for essential meetings or assignments.
Distinguish business visits from work. Assess whether activities such as technical support, repairs or training require additional authorisation in the destination country.
Monitor reform developments. Track changes to the EU Visa Code and national procedures before changing existing travel practices.
Pros and Cons Summary
Pros
- Reusing verified information could reduce repetitive paperwork for frequent travellers.
- A common definition of permissible business activities could reduce uncertainty across Member States.
- Better appointment access and application tracking could improve travel planning.
- Clearer refusal explanations would help applicants understand and address problems.
- Greater flexibility could support international business operations and the movement of essential personnel.
Cons
- A trusted-employer framework would require coordination between participating countries and authorities.
- Differences in national immigration rules may remain despite broader harmonisation.
- Better appointment access and processing standards could require additional resources.
- Alternative submission and appeal procedures would need clear safeguards and implementation rules.
- The recommendations do not themselves change existing visa requirements or guarantee faster processing.
