Meeting of the Directors of Consular Affairs of the European Union

At this meeting of the Directors of Consular Affairs, the French Presidency will present four initiatives aimed at better coordinating the consular resources of the Member States of the EU:

- The Lead State: In 2007, the Member States of the EU approved a Franco-British initiative aimed at reinforcing the protection of European citizens in the event of a consular crisis in a third country. In some countries outside the EU where few Member States are represented, one Member State could decide to coordinate the protection of all European citizens. France assumed this role of "Lead State" in Chad last February, when it evacuated more than 700 European citizens. During the French Presidency of the European Union, we intend to provide a legal framework for this concept and make it clear to all EU citizens.

- Consular assistance within the European Union: In an increasingly integrated European region in which it is possible for our citizens to benefit from social security when they settle in another Member State, we intend to rethink consular activities and bring them closer to European citizens. This discussion, which will no doubt extend beyond the French Presidency, may also take account of the report requested by the French President from Alain Lamassoure on the implementation of Community law. This report has in fact identified difficulties in the implementation of Community law, and the experiences of French expatriates within the EU and of European citizens living in France show that the rights of the European citizens are sometimes disregarded. We will therefore work with our partners to identify these problems and potential solutions to them, to resolve the difficulties that may confront European citizens residing in another Member State of the European Union.

- Consular training: The consuls of the Member States are already working hand in hand in the context of regular "local consular cooperation" meetings. To move beyond these exchanges of best practice and information and create a true common consular culture, the French Presidency will propose to its partners that they should work to establish a consular training network.

- Pooling of consular resources: We want to pool our structures - combining the consular services of Member States and integrating some parts of our visa sections are the challenges that we will attempt to meet. This will address an objective of controlling public expenditure, as well as a goal of improving service in countries in which we are less present. Finally, it will give our citizens a concrete picture of what European coordination can do, even on the other side of the world.

• Updated: 23.12.2008

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