Brussels, 28/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - How can the consular protection of European citizens travelling or residing outside of the EU be reinforced? In order to answer this question, the European Commission launched a broad consultation on 28 November, with the presentation of a Green Paper on diplomatic and consular protection. This consultation, which will end on 31 March 2007, will be followed by a "strategic initiative", as consular protection is among the strategic priorities of the Commission for 2007, the Commissioner with responsibility for Justice, Liberty and Security, Franco Frattini, explained to the press. In the immediate future, the Commission is to launch an awareness campaign, by distributing posters in travel agencies in the 11 Member States whose professional sectorial associations have signed up to the initiative (Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Cyprus, Spain, Finland, Malta, Latvia, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Ireland and the Czech Republic).
Every year, the citizens of the EU make 180 million trips outside the borders of the EU. In line with article 20 of the treaty, the citizens have the right to diplomatic and consular protection on the part of the authorities of any other Member State present in the country, under the same conditions as those applied by this State to its own citizens. However, European citizens are not always aware of this right as, according to a recent Eurobarometer survey, only 23% of the people asked knew about it. Consular protection is, however, essential, as recently shown by the tsunami in Southeast Asia and the war in Lebanon. Even more so as at this moment in time, there are only three third countries in which all 25 Member States of the EU are represented by an embassy or consulate: the United States, Russia and China.
Against this backdrop, the Commission feels that it is time to launch a broad debate to reinforce the effective right to diplomatic and consular protection for citizens of the EU and their families. This is the objective of its Green Paper, which identifies various themes and suggests measures for each of them: information for the citizens via, for example, brochures or posters in airports, and also by adopting a recommendation calling on the Member States to include a reproduction of article 20 of the Treaty in the passports of the citizens; extent of protection for citizens: the Commission suggests that provisions be included in bilateral agreements concluded between Member States and third countries, protecting citizens of the EU working and living in these countries, the extension of consular protection to family members of EU citizens with third-country nationality and simplification of procedures relating to monetary advances to citizens in difficulty; structures and resources: the creation of "joint bureaux" in certain regions- the Caribbean, the Balkans, the Indian Ocean, West Africa- helping to save on the fixed structural costs of the diplomatic and consular networks of the Member States. For its part, the Commission could organise joint training for civil servants of the Member States and of the Community institutions, particularly on the contents of the right to diplomatic and consular protection; the consent of the third-country authorities is vital for the implementation of article 20 of the Treaty. For example, the Commission proposes the inclusion of a consent clause in mixed agreements concluded with third countries and to look into the long-term possibility of granting their consent for the EU to be allowed to carry out a right of protection over European citizens, via Commission delegations, in cases related to Community competencies. (dt)