Avis Budget Group (ABG) is a leading global mobility solutions company operating through three well-known brands: Avis, Budget, and Zipcar, the world’s largest car-sharing network. Established in 1946 by Warren Avis, the company pioneered car rentals at airport locations and has grown extensively to operate approximately 11,000 locations in around 180 countries globally. Avis Budget Group provides a broad spectrum of mobility options including car and truck rentals, as well as on-demand car sharing with flexible rental durations ranging from minutes to months.
Avis Budget Group’s European operations are managed through Avis Budget EMEA Limited, which was first registered in the EU Transparency Register on 22 December 2014 and then redesigned under Avis Budget Group with registration since 5 October 2020. The company’s lobbying efforts in the EU focus on issues critical to the car rental and car-sharing industry, including cross-border car registration proposals, consumer protection, data protection, connected car access to data, insurance distribution, and sustainable mobility initiatives such as the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Directive and the Smart and Sustainable Mobility Strategy.
As a highly recognized brand in the mobility ecosystem, ABG continually innovates and shapes industry standards while working to influence EU policy frameworks to support industry growth and integration across borders. Its lobbying efforts also touch on financial services as they relate to insurance mediation and consumer rights directives. ABG’s EU headquarters is located at Avis Budget House, Park Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom.
Through its networking affiliations, ABG collaborates with key sector associations such as Leaseurope, the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), multiple national car rental trade associations, and the Law Society of England and Wales. These networks aid its influence in the development of regulations affecting the automotive rental landscape. Financially, ABG’s lobbying expenditures reported for 2017 were approximately €150,000, reflecting a moderate but targeted investment in EU advocacy activities.
Over the years, the group has maintained a small team of lobbyists in Brussels (about 0.25 to 0.5 full-time equivalents), led notably by Mr. Inderpal Lall, the Legal Director International, who ensures legal responsibility and manages EU relations. This dedicated role underscores Avis Budget Group’s strategic approach to engage with key EU institutional stakeholders including the European Commission, Parliament, and Council on relevant transport, mobility, and financial service legislative dossiers.
