On Thursday 14 September, the European Commission launched two public consultations to explore the different options it has for improving identity document security and residency permits for European citizens, as announced in the publication of its 2017 report on European citizenship (see EUROPE 11710).
The first consultation seeks to gather in opinions from citizens on ways for improving the security of their identity cards and residency documents. It consists of three questionnaires and is addressed to European citizens (as well as citizens from Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland), including non-European members of families of European citizens and businesses that require the identification of their customers.
The second consultation aims at assessing existing rules on awarding emergency travel documents to “unrepresented” European citizens or those who reside or travel in a non-EU country where no embassy or consulate of their country of origin has been established. On the basis of this consultation, the Commission is planning to modernise these rules and facilitate the access of European citizens to consular protection outside the EU.
Interested parties have until 5 December 2017 to respond to these two consultations. The questionnaires are available at the following addresses: http://bit.ly/2xmrzMh et http://bit.ly/2flq3Al . (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)