ZAGREB, April 30, 2018 – As of 1 May, citizens of the European Union, including Croatia, travelling or living outside the Union will be entitled to consular protection if their country of origin does not have an embassy or consulate in that country, and will be able to receive assistance from other EU countries’ embassies or consulates.
The European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vera Jourova was quoted on Monday as saying that the new directive on the matter would reinforce EU citizens’ rights. “Almost 7 million EU citizens travel or live outside the EU in countries where their own member state does not have an embassy or consulate. As of tomorrow we ensure that all EU citizens are treated equally when they need urgent assistance outside of our Union,” she said in comment on the directive on consular protection, which was passed in 2015.
EU member-states were supposed to transpose the directive into their legislation until 1 May 2018. “The new rules reinforce citizens’ rights and are a strong sign of European solidarity,” the Commissioner added.
Besides assistance in times of crisis, EU citizens can also benefit from requesting consular protection in case of serious illness, when being victim of a crime, when arrested or in cases of passport loss or theft when abroad. Requests for emergency travel documents represent more than 60% of all cases of consular assistance to unrepresented citizens. The Commission will work closely with those member states which have not finalised transposition yet to make sure the important new rules are implemented swiftly.
On 20 April 2015, the EU member states adopted the Directive on consular protection for European citizens living or travelling outside the EU. The Directive clarifies when and how EU citizens in distress in a country outside the EU have the right to receive assistance from other EU countries’ embassies or consulates. The aim is to ease cooperation between consular authorities and strengthen European citizens’ right to consular protection.
