Communication from the Commission in application of Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.
Date: 2001-12-19
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU visa policy, admission of aliens, external border of the EU, third country

19.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 363/21

Communication from the Commission in application of Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of
15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when
crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement (1).

Additional
15 August 2001 (2)

information communicated to the Commission in conformity with Article 5 of the Regulation as at

(2001/C 363/07)

1. Exceptions by virtue of Article 4(1) and (2), to the visa requirement envisaged by Article 1(1)

1.1. The visa requirement is waived for the categories of persons originating in the countries in

the column on the left corresponding to the following key:

D = diplomatic passports

S = official duty passports and other official passports

Third countries

BNL (*)

DK (**)

D (***)

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belize

Benin

Bhutan

Bosnia and Herzegovina

D

Botswana

Burkina Faso

Burma/Myanmar

Burundi

Cambodia

Cameroon

Cape Verde

DS

DS

D

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

D

DS

(1) OJ L 81, 21.3.2001, p. 1.
(2) In application of Article 1 of the protocol on the position of Ireland and the United Kingdom annexed to the Treaty
on the European Union and to the European Community Treaty, and without prejudice to its Article 4, the
provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 are not applied by Ireland or the United Kingdom.

C 363/22

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

19.12.2001

Third countries

BNL (*)

DK (**)

D (***)

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

Central African Republic

Chad

China

Colombia

Congo

D

DS

DS

DS

DS

C(cid:244)te d’Ivoire

DS

DS

DS

DS

Cuba

Democratic Republic of
the Congo

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Egypt

Equatorial Guinea

Etritrea

Ethiopia

Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia (Serbia-
Montenegro)

Fiji

DS

Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia

D

DS

Gabon

Gambia

Georgia

Ghana

Grenada

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

India

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Jamaica

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

DS

DS

D

DS

D

D

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

D

D

D

DS

19.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 363/23

Third countries

BNL (*)

DK (**)

D (***)

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

D

DS

D

D

DS

D

D

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

D

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

Kiribati

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Lebanon

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Madagascar

Malawi

Maldives

Mali

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Micronesia

Moldova

Mongolia

Morocco

Mozambique

Namibia

Nauru

Nepal

Niger

Nigeria

North Korea

Northern Marianas

Oman

Pakistan

Palau

Papua New Guinea

Peru

Philippines

Qatar

Russia

Rwanda

Saint Kitts and Nevis

C 363/24

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

19.12.2001

Third countries

BNL (*)

DK (**)

D (***)

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent
Grenadines

and the

Sªo TomØ and Pr(cid:237)ncipe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Surinam

Swaziland

Syria

Tajikistan

Tanzania

Thailand

The Comoros

Togo

Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey (1)

Turkmenistan

Tuvalu

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

Uzbekistan

Vanuatu

Vietnam

Western Samoa

Yemen

D

D

DS

DS

DS

DS

D

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

D

DS

DS

DS

D

DS

D

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

D

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

19.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 363/25

Third countries

BNL (*)

DK (**)

D (***)

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

Zambia

Zimbabwe

DS

Romania (2)

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

DS

D

D

(1) For Denmark, France, Finland, Italy and Iceland: the exemption is also applied for holders of Turkish special passports.
(2) In accordance with Article 8(2) of the Regulation, the application of the visa exemption envisaged by Article 1(2) will be decided subsequently by the Council. As a
consequence, Romania figures in this table, provisionally, until such time as the Council decides upon the visa exemption for Romanian citizens. The information
figuring above concerns exemptions from the visa requirement that are currently applied.

(*) Benelux: In application of the Convention of 11 April 1960, and in particular Article 3, the countries of the Benelux have a harmonised policy in relation to short

stay visas for third countries.

(**) Denmark, holders of valid identity cards issued by the authorities of the Vatican City State are exempted from the visa requirement.
(***) Germany, holders of Vatican passports, irrespective of their nationality are exempted by Germany from the visa requirement.

Entities and territorial authorities that are not recognised as States by at least one Member State

East Timor

Palestinian Authority

Taiwan

1.2. Visa exemption for other categories mentioned in Article 4

(cid:151) Civilian air crew members:

They are in principle exempt from visa requirement by the Member States when holding licences
and certificates within the meaning of Annexes 1 to 9 of the Convention of Chicago on Inter-
national Civil Aviation.

However, the visa requirement is maintained:

(cid:151) by France for crew members who are nationals of countries who are non-signatories of the

Chicago Convention;

(cid:151) Civilian sea crew members:

They are in principle exempt
from visa requirement by the Member States when holding
certificates issued by contracting States to the International Labour Organisation Convention
No 108 (Geneva) in conformity with the Convention of London of 9 April 1965 on the facili-
tation of international maritime traffic.

However, the visa requirement is maintained:

(cid:151) by Denmark and Italy for crew members who are nationals of countries listed in Annex 1 to

the Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001;

(cid:151) by France for crew members who are nationals of countries who are non-signatories of the

1965 Convention of London or Convention No 108.

(cid:151) Civilian ships crew members (on international internal waterways):

The Rhine:

They may be exempted from the visa requirement by Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and
the Netherlands provided that they are holders of a travel document containing a trilingual stamp
or mention identifying them as a Rhine boatman in accordance with the resolutions of the Central
Commission for the navigation of the Rhine.

The Danube:

They are in principle exempted from the visa requirement by Germany and Austria provided that
they are holders of a document identifying them as a Danube boatman and they figure on the
crew list.

C 363/26

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

19.12.2001

(cid:151) Laissez-passer issued by international organisations to their officials:

G e n e r a l o b s e r v a t i o n :

Portugal: the holders of such laissez-passer do not benefit from a visa exemption.

Austria: the beneficiaries of privileges and immunities who have been issued with a specific
identity document are exempted from visa requirement.

O b s e r v a t i o n s r e l a t i n g t o p a r t i c u l a r o r g a n i s a t i o n s :

United Nations: the holders of the laissez-passer are exempted from the visa requirement except
by France, Italy and Portugal.

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation: the holders of an official identity document or travel order are
exempt from the visa requirement, except by Finland.

Observation by Italy: the holders of a Travel Order issued by NATO Headquarters are exempt
from the visa requirement irrespective of their nationality in accordance with Article 3 of the
Agreement between the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty regarding the Status of their Forces,
signed at London on 19 June 1951, where they are members of a NATO force.

Other international organisations:

Denmark exempts from visa the holders of identification card (cid:145)Shirbrig, Planning Element Official(cid:146),
issued by the Chief of Defence, Denmark.

Benelux: exempts from visa holders of a laissez-passer issued by the Secretary General of the
Customs Cooperation Council.

2. Exceptions by virtue of Article 4 to the visa exemption envisaged by Article 1(2)

A visa obligation is applied to the categories of persons originating in the countries in the
column on the left corresponding to the following key:

D = diplomatic passports

ACR = civilian air crew

S = official duty passports and other official passports

SCR = civilian sea crew

Third countries

BNL

DK

D

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

Israel

Mexico

United States of America

DS
ACR
SCR

D

DS (*) DS (**)
ACR
SCR

DS

Venezuela

S

(*) Spain: For the United States of America, holders of diplomatic or official duty passports on official missions or official visits are subject to the visa requirement. The

visa is not necessary when the entrance is in application of the Hispanic-North American Convention of 1 May 1988.

(**) France only when the holders of diplomatic or official duty passports are on mission.

3. Measures of exception by virtue of Article 4(3) to the exemption from visa provided for in

Article 1(2)

Persons originating in the countries figuring in the column on the left are subject to the visa
requirement when carrying out a paid activity during their stay.

ECO = paid activity

Third countries

BNL

DK

Andorra

Argentina

Australia

D (*)

ECO

ECO

GR

ECO

ECO

ECO

E

F

I

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

AU

ECO

ECO

ECO

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

19.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 363/27

Third countries

BNL

DK

Bolivia

Brazil

Brunei

Bulgaria

Canada

Chile

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Ecuador

Estonia

Guatemala

Holy See

Honduras

Hungary

Israel

Japan

Latvia

Lithuania

Malaysia

Malta

Mexico

Monaco

Nicaragua

New Zealand

Panama

Paraguay

Poland

Salvador

San Marino

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Korea

Switzerland

United States of America

Uruguay

Venezuela

D (*)

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

GR

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

E

F

I

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

AU

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

C 363/28

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

19.12.2001

SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Third countries

BNL

DK

Hong Kong SAR

Macao SAR

D (*)

ECO

ECO

GR

ECO

ECO

E

ECO

ECO

F

ECO

ECO

I

ECO

ECO

AU

ECO

ECO

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

(*) Comments by Germany: The following groups of employees are regarded as not exercising a paid activity and are exempt from the visa requirement, subject to the

conditions laid down in individual cases:
(cid:151) seafarers who possess a German seaman’s registration book and a national passport issued by the authorities of one of the States listed in Annex II, provided that

they are staying on board or on federal territory solely as members of the crew of a ship entitled to fly the federal flag;

(cid:151) pilots in maritime and coastal shipping, for the purposes of exercising their profession;
(cid:151) nationals of non-EU countries employed on foreign-registered ships navigating on the Rhine and the Danube, including the Main-Danube canal, who hold a
recognised passport or substitute passport in which their profession is given as Rhine boatmen, or hold a specially recognised document in lieu of a passport (e.g.
Danube boatmen’s certificate, seaman’s registration book) and are included on the crew list, where entering the territory for the purposes of the cross-border
transport of persons or goods. Their stay may only serve purposes directly connected with their nautical activities.

Self-employment is generally regarded as a paid activity. However, certain activities are not regarded as paid activities (Section 12(2) to (6) DVAuslG (BGBl. I 1990 p.
2983, as last amended by the Regulation of 21 May 1999, BGBl. I p. 1038), e.g. certain drivers). Persons employed in such capacities may enter without a visa subject to
the conditions laid down in individual cases.

4. Measures by virtue of Article 3, second indent of the Regulation

Recognised refugees and stateless persons are exempt from the visa requirement provided that
they are legally resident in one of the countries or entities in the left-hand column and are in
possession of a travel document issued by the competent authorities of that country or entity.

R = refugees

A = stateless

Third countries

BNL

DK

D (**)

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

Andorra

Argentina

Australia

Bolivia

Brazil

Brunei

Bulgaria

Canada

Chile

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic (*)

R

R

R

Ecuador

Estonia

Guatemala

Holy See

Honduras

Hungary

(cid:151)

(cid:151)

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

(RA)
(***)

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

(RA)
(***)

RA

(cid:151)

RA

RA

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

(cid:151)

(cid:151)

(cid:151)

(cid:151)

(cid:151)

(cid:151)

(cid:151)

(cid:151)

(cid:151)

(cid:151)

19.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 363/29

Third countries

BNL

DK

D (**)

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

R

R

Israel

Japan

Latvia

Lithuania

Malaysia

Malta (*)

Mexico

Monaco

Nicaragua

New Zealand

Panama

Paraguay

Poland

Salvador

San Marino

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Korea

Switzerland (*)

R

R

United States of America

Uruguay

Venezuela

RA

RA

(RA)
(***)

(RA)
(***)

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Third countries

BNL

DK

D (**)

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

Hong Kong SAR

Macao SAR

(*) Data supplied as further information.

Exemption from the visa requirement is not based on the second indent of Article 3 of the Regulation but on the European Agreement on the abolition of visas for
refugees, signed at Strasbourg on 20 April 1959. Member States applying the Regulation are parties to the Agreement with the exception of Austria and Greece.
France, which is a contracting party, suspended its application in 1986.

(**) It is a general requirement that the person hold a valid travel document issued in accordance with the rules of the Agreement of 15 October 1946 regarding the issue
of travel documents to refugees, the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 28 July 1951 or the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons of 28
September 1954. The travel document must contain an authorisation to return which has a sufficiently long period of validity.

(***) For D: Applies in each case from the date of entry into force there of the agreements and conventions referred to in footnote (**) on the issue of travel documents to

refugees and stateless persons.

C 363/30

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

19.12.2001

Data whose publication is not required by Article 5 of Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 but
published for information purposes only.

(Status of additional information communicated to the Commission)

Situation specific to persons deriving their nationality status by virtue of a connection with
British Overseas Territories who are subject to a visa requirement by one or more States

Territories

BNL

Anguilla

Bermuda

British
Territory

Indian

Ocean

British Virgin Islands

Cayman Islands

Falkland Islands

Montserrat

Pitcairn, Ducie Henderson
and Oeno

Saint
dependancies

Helena

and

Turks and Caicos Islands

NOR

Va)

DK

Vd)

Va)

Vd)

Vd)

Vd)

Vd)

Vd)

D

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

GR

V

V

V

E

Vb)

Vb)

Vb)

Vb)

F

Vc)

Va)

Vc)

Vc)

Vb)

Vc)

I

Vb)

Vb)

Vb)

Vb)

Vb)

Vb)

Vb)

Vb)

Vb)

Vc)

Vb)

Vb)

Vc)

Vb)

AU

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

P

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

FIN

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

ISL

Vd)

Va)

Vd)

Vd)

Vd)

S

Vd)

Va)

Vd)

Vd)

Vd)

Vd)

Vd)

Vd)

Vd)

Vd)

Vd)

Vd)

a) Denmark, France, Iceland Norway and Sweden: Except for holders of British Dependant Territories citizens passports.
b) Spain and Italy: Except for holders of British Dependant Territories citizens passports
c) France: Except for holders of passports bearing the mention (cid:145)the holder has the right of abode in the United Kingdom(cid:146).
d) Denmark, Iceland and Sweden: Except for holders of passports bearing the mention (cid:145)the holder has the right of re-admission(cid:146), (cid:145)the holder is entitled to re-admission to
the United Kingdom(cid:146), or (cid:145)the holder has the right of abode in the United Kingdom(cid:146) and on condition that the holder has not been absent from the United Kingdom for a
period exceeding two years.

Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.2656 (cid:151) Cinven/Kl(cid:246)ckner Pentaplast)

(2001/C 363/08)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 7 December 2001 the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to
declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council
Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89. The full text of the decision is only available in English and will be
made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

(cid:151) as a paper version through the sales offices of the Office for Official Publications of the European

Communities (see list on the last page),

(cid:151) in electronic form in the (cid:145)CEN(cid:146) version of the CELEX database, under document No 301M2656. CELEX

is the computerised documentation system of European Community law.

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