Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 laying down a uniform format for visas
Date: 2001-10-09
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU national, European standard, admission of aliens, confidentiality, identity document, technical specification

26.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 51 E/219

Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 laying down a uniform
format for visas

(2002/C 51 E/03)

COM(2001) 577 final (cid:151) 2001/0232(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 9 October 2001)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

rules currently governing recognition of
travel documents.

the validity of

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 62(2)(b)(iii) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Whereas:

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 (1)

laid down a

uniform format for visas.

(2) It is necessary to make provision for the establishment of
common standards relating to the implementation of the
format
in particular common rules on the technical
methods and standards to be used for filling in the form.

(3) The integration of a photograph produced according to
high security standards is a first step towards the use of
elements establishing a more reliable link between the
holder and the visa format as an important contribution
to ensuring that the uniform format for visas is protected
even against fraudulent use. The specifications set out in
the
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)
document on machine readable visas will be taken into
account.

(4) Common standards relating to the implementation of the
uniform format of visas are essential to achieve a high
technical standard and to facilitate detection of forged or
falsified visa stickers.

(5) The powers to adopt such common standards should be
conferred on the Committee established by Article 6 of
Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 which should be adapted to
take account of Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June
1999 laying down the procedures for
the exercise of
implementing powers conferred on the Commission (2).

(8) This Regulation should not affect

the competence of
Member States with regard to the recognition of States
and territorial units and passports,
travel and identity
documents issued by their authorities.

(9) This Regulation constitutes in relation to the implemen-
tation of
the Agreement on the association of Norway
and Iceland a development of the Schengen acquis in the
sense of the Protocol integrating the Schengen acquis into
the framework of the European Union,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 is amended as follows:

1. Article 2 is replaced by the following:

(cid:145)Article 2

1.
Further technical specifications for the uniform format
for visas relating to the following shall be established in
accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 6(2):

(a) additional elements and security requirements including
enhanced anti-forgery, counterfeiting and falsification
standards;

(b) technical methods and standards to be used for the

filling in of the uniform visa.

The

2.
changed in
accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 6(2).(cid:146)

the paper may be

colours of

(6) Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 should therefore be amended

accordingly.

2. Article 6 is replaced by the following:

(7) The measures provided for in this Regulation to make the
uniform format for visas more secure do not affect the

(cid:145)Article 6

(1) OJ L 164, 14.7.1995, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

The Commission shall be assisted by a committee,
the Member States and

1.
composed of representatives of
chaired by a representative of the Commission.

C 51 E/220

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

26.2.2002

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, the regu-
latory procedure laid down in Article 5 of Decision
1999/468/EC shall apply in compliance with Article 7
thereof.

4. In the Annex the following point is inserted:

(cid:145)2a. An integrated photograph produced according to high
security standards, which will be placed on the left side
of the sticker.(cid:146)

The period provided for in Article 5(6) shall be of two

3.
months.(cid:146)

Article 2

3. In Article 8 the following paragraph is added:

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day
following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Communities.

(cid:145)The integration of the photograph provided for in point 2a
of the Annex shall be implemented at the latest five years
after the adoption of the measures referred to in Article 2.(cid:146)

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly
applicable in all Member States in accordance with the EC
Treaty.