General rules
1. Member States' diplomatic and consular authorities shall closely cooperate and coordinate with one another and with the Union to ensure protection of unrepresented citizens in accordance with Article 2.
2. When a Member State receives a request for consular protection from a person who claims to be an unrepresented citizen, or is informed of an individual emergency situation of an unrepresented citizen, such as listed in Article 9, it shall consult without delay the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Member State of which the person claims to be a national or, where appropriate, the competent embassy or consulate of that Member State, and provide it with all the relevant information at its disposal, including regarding the identity of the person concerned, possible costs of consular protection, and regarding any family members to whom consular protection may also need to be provided. Except in cases of extreme urgency, this consultation shall take place before assistance is provided. The assisting Member State shall also facilitate the exchange of information between the citizen concerned and the authorities of the citizen's Member State of nationality.
3. If requested, the citizen's Member State of nationality shall provide the assisting Member State's Ministry of Foreign Affairs or competent embassy or consulate with all the relevant information in the case concerned. It shall also be responsible for any necessary contact with family members or other relevant persons or authorities.
4. Member States shall notify the EEAS through its secure internet site of the relevant contact point(s) in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs.
The role of Union delegations
Union delegations shall closely cooperate and coordinate with Member States' embassies and consulates to contribute to local and crisis cooperation and coordination, in particular by providing available logistical support, including office accommodation and organisational facilities, such as temporary accommodation for consular staff and for intervention teams. Union delegations and the EEAS headquarters shall also facilitate the exchange of information between Member States' embassies and consulates and, if appropriate, with local authorities. Union delegations shall also make general information available about the assistance that unrepresented citizens could be entitled to, particularly about agreed practical arrangements if applicable.
Local cooperation
Local cooperation meetings shall include a regular exchange of information on matters relevant to unrepresented citizens. In those meetings, Member States shall agree, wherever necessary, on practical arrangements as referred to in Article 7 to ensure that unrepresented citizens are effectively protected in the third country concerned. Unless otherwise agreed by Member States, the Chair shall be a representative of a Member State, in close cooperation with the Union delegation.
Crisis preparedness and cooperation
1. Local contingency planning shall take unrepresented citizens into account. Member States represented in a third country shall coordinate contingency plans among themselves and with the Union delegation to ensure that unrepresented citizens are fully assisted in the event of a crisis. The competent embassies or consulates shall be adequately informed of crisis preparedness arrangements and, where appropriate, involved therein.
2. In the event of a crisis, the Union and Member States shall closely cooperate to ensure efficient assistance for unrepresented citizens. They shall, where possible, inform each other of available evacuation capacities in a timely manner. Upon their request, Member States may be supported by existing intervention teams at Union level, including consular experts, in particular from unrepresented Member States.
3. The Lead State or the Member State(s) coordinating the assistance shall be in charge of coordinating any support provided for unrepresented citizens, with the support of the other Member States concerned, the Union delegation and the EEAS headquarters. Member States shall provide the Lead State or the Member State(s) coordinating assistance with all relevant information regarding their unrepresented citizens present in a crisis situation.
4. The Lead State or the Member State(s) coordinating assistance for unrepresented citizens may seek, if appropriate, support from instruments such as the crisis management structures of the EEAS and the Union Civil Protection Mechanism.
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
