ABTA Invites Members to Hear Directly from EU Officials on EES and ETIAS

The travel trade was offered direct access to the institutions behind the changes

ABTA announced a member webinar bringing together officials from DG Home, responsible for EES implementation, and Frontex, which oversees ETIAS. The association said the session would help members hear directly from the bodies delivering the two systems and better understand what they would mean for UK travellers.

The message was not only about timing, but about trusted guidance

At the time, ABTA said EES was expected later in 2024 and ETIAS in 2025, making it important for travel companies to start explaining the changes early. It also highlighted a consumer protection issue: Frontex had already identified many unofficial ETIAS websites, so members would need to steer customers towards official information rather than opportunistic third-party sellers.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels

ABTA framed member communication as a practical responsibility

The association's broader point was that travel businesses would play a key role in translating policy change into clear advice. By encouraging strong attendance at the webinar, ABTA was effectively preparing members to answer questions, reduce misinformation and give travellers a more reliable picture of what would eventually be required.