Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2662 of 14 October 2024 establishing a standard EU Emergency Travel Document application form and amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2452

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Directive (EU) 2019/997 of 18 June 2019 establishing an EU Emergency Travel Document and repealing Decision 96/409/CFSP⁽¹⁾, and in particular Article 4(9) and Article 9(1) thereof,

Whereas:

1. Directive (EU) 2019/997 lays down rules on the conditions and procedure for unrepresented citizens in third countries to obtain an EU Emergency Travel Document (‘EU ETD’) and establishes a uniform format for the document, consisting of a uniform EU ETD form and a uniform EU ETD sticker.

2. Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2452⁽²⁾ lays down additional technical specifications concerning the design, format and colours of the uniform EU ETD form and sticker, the requirements for the material and printing techniques of the uniform EU ETD form, and security features and requirements including enhanced anti-forgery, counterfeiting and falsification standards.

3. To facilitate the exchange of information on applications for the issuance of an EU ETD, a standard EU ETD application form should be established.

4. In accordance with Article 4(8) of Directive (EU) 2019/997, the recipient of an EU ETD is to be asked to return the EU ETD upon arrival at the final destination. Information on the obligation to return the EU ETD is, pursuant to Article 4(9) of that Directive, to be included in the standard EU ETD application form.

5. To provide recipients of EU ETDs with the information necessary to be able to return the document to the appropriate authority in line with the information provided on the standard EU ETD application form, it is necessary to lay down additional technical specifications relating to the issuing of the EU ETD. These specifications should provide that the Member State of nationality should inform the assisting Member State as to where the EU ETD is to be returned, information that should then be provided to the recipient of the EU ETD.

6. It is also necessary to revise and update certain technical standards prescribed by Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2452. In Part I of the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2452, it should be clarified that any blank uniform EU ETD forms and stickers stolen or lost during the delivery process should be reported to Interpol’s database on Stolen and Lost Travel Documents by the Member State procuring them to avoid gaps in reporting.

7. Rules on the filling in and affixing of uniform EU ETD stickers should be added as Part III of the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2452 to ensure that Member State authorities follow common standards when filling in EU ETDs, including their machine-readable zone.

8. Pursuant to Article 10(1) of Directive (EU) 2019/997, each Member State is to designate a body having responsibility for producing uniform EU ETD forms and stickers. The same body may be designated by several or all Member States. Currently, Member States have designated three different bodies. In order to avoid that EU ETDs produced by different bodies are assigned the same document number, it is necessary to ensure that numbering ranges are differentiated by reference to the different bodies designated by the Member States. In addition, a numbering range should be reserved for possible future use. Those rules should be added as Part IV of the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2452.

9. Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2452 should therefore be amended accordingly.

10. The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 6 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1683/95⁽³⁾,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: