Decision No 896/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of  14 June 2006  establishing a simplified regime for the control of persons at the external borders based on the unilateral recognition by the Member States of certain residence permits issued by Switzerland and Liechtenstein for the purpose of transit through their territory
Date: 2006-06-14
Institutions: Council of the European Union, European Parliament
Subjects: EU visa policy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, border control, external border of the EU, foreign national, third country

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Official Journal of the European Union

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DECISION No 896/2006/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 14 June 2006

establishing a simplified regime for the control of persons at the external borders based on the
unilateral recognition by the Member States of certain residence permits issued by Switzerland and
Liechtenstein for the purpose of transit through their territory

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community, and in particular Article 62(2)(a) thereof,

establishing the European

nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing
the external borders and those who are nationals are
exempt from that requirement (3) must apply for a visa
when they transit the common area on return to their
country of origin. As a result, the consular offices of the
Member States in Switzerland have to deal with large
numbers of visa applications submitted by such third-
country nationals. Similar difficulties have occurred as
regards applications for visas by holders of residence
permits issued by Liechtenstein.

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
251 of the Treaty (1),

(4)

Whereas:

the two-step implementation of

the
As a result of
Schengen acquis, new Member States that acceded to
the European Union on 1 May 2004 are required,
from that date, to issue national visas to third-country
nationals who hold a residence permit issued by Swit-
zerland and Liechtenstein and who are subject to a visa
obligation pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 539/2001.
Some of the new Member States have voiced concerns
as to the additional administrative burden this will place
on their consulates in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Pursuant to Article 21 of the Convention of 19 June
1990 implementing the Schengen Agreement of 14
June 1985 between the Governments of the States of
the Benelux Economic Union, the Federal Republic of
Germany and the French Republic on the gradual
abolition of checks at their common borders (2) (here-
inafter
Schengen Convention)
the
residence permits issued by Member States fully imple-
menting the Schengen acquis
to be mutually
recognised as equivalent to the uniform visa.

referred

to as

are

(5)

It does not appear necessary for Member States to require
this category of persons to hold a visa, as they represent
a low risk of illegal immigration for the Member States.

The current Community rules do not, however, provide
for a simplified regime for the control of persons at the
external borders whereby the residence permits issued by
third countries would be recognised as equivalent to the
uniform visa for the purpose of transit through, or a
short stay in, the common area.

(6)

In order to address the situation in the consular offices in
Switzerland and Liechtenstein both of Member States
fully implementing the Schengen acquis and of new
Member States, a simplified regime should be introduced
for the control of persons at the external borders based
on the unilateral recognition of certain residence permits
issued by the authorities of Switzerland and Liechtenstein
as equivalent to uniform or national visas.

Third-country nationals who hold a resident permit
issued by Switzerland and who are subject to a visa
obligation under Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001
of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose

(1) Opinion of

the European Parliament of 6 April 2006 (not yet
published in the Official Journal) and Council Decision of 1 June
2006.

(2) OJ L 239, 22.9.2000, p. 19.

(7)

Such recognition should be limited to the purpose of
transit and should not affect the possibility of Member
States to issue visas for a short-term stay.

(3) OJ L 81, 21.3.2001, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation

(EC) No 851/2005 (OJ L 141, 4.6.2005, p. 3).

(1)

(2)

(3)

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L 167/9

(8)

(9)

the

recognition regime

the control of persons at

should be
Application of
compulsory for Member States fully implementing the
Schengen acquis and optional
for new Member States
that apply Decision No 895/2006/EC of the European
Parliament and Council of 14 June 2006 introducing a
simplified regime for
the
external borders based on the unilateral recognition by
the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania,
Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia
and Slovakia of
certain documents as equivalent to their national visas
for the purposes of transit through their territories (1)
during the transitional period until
the date to be
determined by the Council, in accordance with the first
subparagraph of Article 3(2) of
the 2003 Act of
Accession.

on

The entry conditions laid down in Article 5(1) of Regu-
lation (EC) No 562/2006 of the European Parliament and
the Council of 15 March 2006 establishing a
of
Community Code
the
the
movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders
Code) (2) have to be fulfilled, with the exception of the
condition laid down in Article 5(1)(b) thereof, in so far as
this Decision sets up an equivalence regime between
transit visas and residence permits issued by Switzerland
and Liechtenstein.

governing

rules

(10)

the scale and effects of

Since the objective of this Decision directly affects the
Community acquis on visas and cannot be achieved suffi-
ciently by the Member States and can therefore, by
this Decision, be
reason of
better achieved at Community level,
the Community
in accordance with the principle
may adopt measures,
of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In
accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set
out in that Article, this Decision does not go beyond
what is necessary in order to achieve that objective.

(11) As regards Iceland and Norway, this Decision constitutes
a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis
within the meaning of the Agreement concluded by the
Council of
the European Union and the Republic of
Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway concerning those
two States' association with the implementation, appli-
cation and development of the Schengen acquis, which
fall within the area referred to in Article 1 point (A)
certain
of Council Decision
arrangements for the application of that Agreement.

1999/437/EC (3)

on

the adoption by the Council of this Decision and is not
bound by it or subject to its application. Given that this
Decision builds upon the Schengen acquis under the
provisions of Title IV of Part Three of the Treaty estab-
in
lishing the European Community, Denmark has,
accordance with Article 5 of
to
the said Protocol,
decide within a period of six months after the date of
adoption of this Decision whether it will implement it in
its national law.

take part

This Decision constitutes a development of provisions of
the Schengen acquis, in which the United Kingdom does
not
in accordance with Council Decision
2000/365/EC of 29 May 2000 concerning the request
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland to take part in some of the provisions of the
Schengen acquis (4). The United Kingdom is therefore
not taking part in its adoption and is not bound by it
or subject to its application.

This Decision constitutes a development of provisions of
the Schengen acquis, in which Ireland does not take part
in accordance with Council Decision 2002/192/EC of 28
February 2002 concerning Ireland's request to take part
the Schengen acquis (5).
in some of the provisions of
Ireland is therefore not taking part in its adoption and
is not bound by it or subject to its application,

(13)

(14)

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

This Decision establishes a simplified regime for the control of
persons at the external borders based on the unilateral recog-
nition by Member States of residence permits issued by Swit-
zerland and Liechtenstein to third-country nationals subject to a
visa obligation pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 as
equivalent to their uniform or national visas for the purpose
of transit.

The implementation of this Decision shall not affect the checks
to be carried out on persons at
the external borders in
compliance with Articles 5 to 13 and 18 to 19 of Regulation
(EC) No 562/2006.

(12)

In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of the Protocol on
the position of Denmark annexed to the Treaty on
European Union and to the Treaty establishing the
European Community, Denmark is not taking part in

Article 2

Member States fully implementing the Schengen acquis shall
unilaterally recognise the residence permits issued by Swit-
zerland and Liechtenstein which are listed in the Annex.

(1) See page 1 of this Official Journal.
(2) OJ L 105, 13.4.2006, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 31.

(4) OJ L 131, 1.6.2000, p. 43.
(5) OJ L 64, 7.3.2002, p. 20.

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New Member States which apply Decision No 895/2006/EC
may unilaterally recognise the residence permits listed in the
Annex to this Decision as equivalent to their national transit
visas until
in
accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 3(2) of the
2003 Act of Accession.

the date to be determined by the Council,

Article 3

The duration of
the third-country national
through the territory of the Member State(s) shall not exceed
five days.

the transit of

Article 5

This Decision shall enter into force on the 20th day following
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply until the date on which the provisions of Article
21 of the Schengen Convention take effect for Switzerland and
Liechtenstein pursuant to Article 15 of the Agreement between
the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss
Confederation on the Swiss Confederation's association with the
implementation, application and development of the Schengen
acquis.

The period of validity of the documents listed in the Annex
shall cover the duration of the transit.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States in accordance
with the Treaty establishing the European Community.

Article 6

Article 4

Done at Strasbourg, 14 June 2006.

Any new Member State that decides to apply this Decision shall
notify the Commission thereof by 1 August 2006. The
Commission shall publish the information communicated by
the new Member States in the Official Journal of the European
Union.

For the European Parliament
The President

J. BORRELL FONTELLES

For the Council
The President

H. WINKLER

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ANNEX

List of residence permits issued by the Swiss Confederation and Liechtenstein referred to in Article 2

A. RESIDENCE PERMITS ISSUED BY SWITZERLAND

— Ausländerausweis B/Livret pour étrangers B/Libretto per stranieri B/Legitimaziun d’esters B (identity document B for

foreign nationals) (temporary residence permit type B. Issued in three or four languages) (grey)

— Ausländerausweis C/Livret pour étrangers C/Libretto per stranieri C (identity document C for foreign nationals)

(permanent residence permit type C) (green)

— Ausländerausweis Ci/Livret pour étrangers Ci/Libretto per stranieri Ci (identity document Ci for foreign nationals)
(residence permit type Ci for the spouses and children (up to 25 years) of officials of international organisations and
members of foreign representations in Switzerland who pursue an economic activity in the Swiss labour market) (red)

— Legitimationskarten (Aufenthaltsbewilligung) vom Eidgenössischen Departement

für auswärtige Angelegenheiten/
Cartes de légitimation (titres de séjour) du Département fédéral des affaires étrangères/Carte di legittimazione (titoli
di soggiorno) del Dipartimento federale degli affari esteri (identity cards (residence permit) issued by the Federal
Department of Foreign Affairs)

— Legitimationskarte ‘B’ (mit rosafarbigem Streifen): Missionschefs der diplomatischen, ständigen oder Spezialmis-
sionen,
leitende Beamte internationaler Organisationen und Familienmitglieder, die den gleichen Status besit-
zen/Carte de légitimation ‘B’ (à bande rose): Chefs de mission diplomatique, permanente ou spéciale, membres
de la haute direction des organisations internationales et membres de famille qui jouissent du même statut/Carta di
legittimazione ‘B’ (a banda rosa): capimissione di missioni diplomatiche permanenti o speciali, funzionari superiori
di organizzazioni internazionali e loro familiari che beneficiano dello stesso statuto (identity card type B (pink
stripe): heads of diplomatic, permanent or special missions, senior officials of international organisations and
members of their families having the same status)

— Legitimationskarte ‘C’ (mit rosafarbigem Streifen): Mitglieder des diplomatischen Personals der diplomatischen,
ständigen oder Spezialmissionen, Beamte internationaler Organisationen und Familienmitglieder, die den
gleichen Status besitzen/Carte de légitimation ‘C’
(à bande rose): membres du personnel diplomatique des
missions diplomatiques, permanentes ou spéciales, hauts fonctionnaires des organisations internationales et
membres de famille qui
(a banda rosa): membri del
personale diplomatico di missioni diplomatiche permanenti o speciali, funzionari di organizzazioni internazionali
e familiari che beneficiano dello stesso statuto (identity card type C (pink stripe): members of the diplomatic staff
of diplomatic, permanent or special missions, officials of international organisations and members of their families
having the same status)

jouissent du même statut/Carta di

legittimazione ‘C’

— Legitimationskarte ‘D’ (mit blauem Streifen): Mitglieder des Verwaltungs- und technischen Personals der diploma-
tischen, ständigen oder Spezialmissionen und Familienmitglieder, die den gleichen Status besitzen/Carte de
légitimation ‘D’ (à bande bleue): membres du personnel administratif et technique des missions diplomatiques,
permanentes ou spéciales et membres de famille qui jouissent du même statut/Carta di legittimazione ‘D’ (a banda
blu): membri del personale amministrativo e tecnico di missioni diplomatiche permanenti o speciali e familiari che
beneficiano dello stesso statuto (identity card type D (blue stripe): members of the administrative and technical
staff of diplomatic, permanent or special missions and members of their families having the same status)

— Legitimationskarte ‘D’ (mit braunem Streifen): Beamte der Kategorie Berufspersonal internationaler Organisationen
und Familienmitglieder, die den gleichen Status besitzen/Carte de légitimation ‘D’ (à bande brune): fonctionnaires
de la catégorie professionnelle des organisations internationales et membres de famille qui jouissent du même
statut/Carta di legittimazione ‘D’ (a banda marrone): funzionari appartenenti alla categoria del personale di carriera
di organizzazioni internazionali e familiari che beneficiano dello stesso statuto (identity card type D (brown stripe):
‘Professional category’ officials of international organisations and members of their families having the same status)

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— Legitimationskarte ‘E’ (mit violettem Streifen): Mitglieder des Dienstpersonals der diplomatischen, ständigen oder
Spezialmissionen, Beamte der allgemeinen Dienste internationaler Organisationen und Familienmitglieder, die den
gleichen Status besitzen/Carte de légitimation ‘E’ (à bande violette): membres du personnel de service des missions
diplomatiques, permanentes et spéciales, fonctionnaires des services généraux des organisations internationales et
membres de famille qui jouissent du même statut/Carta di legittimazione ‘E’ (a banda viola): membri del personale
di servizio di missioni diplomatiche permanenti e speciali, funzionari dei servizi generali di organizzazioni inter-
nazionali e familiari che beneficiano dello stesso statuto (identity card type E (violet stripe): members of the service
staff of diplomatic, permanent or special missions, general service officials of international organisations and
members of their families having the same status)

— Legitimationskarte ‘F’ (mit gelbem Streifen): private Hausangestellte der Mitglieder der diplomatischen, ständigen
oder Spezialmissionen und der von Berufs-Konsularbeamten geleiteten konsularischen Vertretungen sowie private
Hausangestellte der Beamten internationaler Organisationen/Carte de légitimation ‘F’ (à bande jaune): domestiques
privés des membres des missions diplomatiques, permanentes ou spéciales et des postes consulaires de carrière et
domestiques privés des fonctionnaires des organisations internationales/Carta di legittimazione ‘F’ (a banda gialla):
personale domestico privato di membri di missioni diplomatiche permanenti o speciali e di rappresentanze
consolari dirette da funzionari consolari di carriera nonché personale domestico privato di funzionari di orga-
nizzazioni internazionali (Identity card type F (yellow stripe): private domestic staff of members of diplomatic,
permanent or special missions and of consular representations led by established consular officials, and the private
domestic staff of officials of international organisations)

— Legitimationskarte ‘G’

(mit

fonctionnaires des organisations internationales (contrat de travail

türkisem Streifen): Beamte internationaler Organisationen mit Arbeitsvertrag von
begrenzter Dauer und Familienmitglieder, die den gleichen Status besitzen/Carte de légitimation ‘G’ (à bande
terme’) et membres de
turquoise):
famille qui jouissent du même statut/Carta di legittimazione ‘G’ (a banda turchese): funzionari di organizzazioni
internazionali con contratto di lavoro a durata determinata e familiari che beneficiano dello stesso statuto (identity
card type G (turquoise stripe): officials of international organisations with a fixed-term employment contract and
family members having the same status)

‘court

— Legitimationskarte ‘H’ (mit weißem Streifen): Personen ohne Privilegien und Immunitäten, die ermächtigt sind,
Mitglieder der diplomatischen, ständigen oder Spezialmissionen und der konsularischen Vertretungen zu begleiten,
Mitarbeiter internationaler Organisationen ohne Beamtenstatus/Carte de légitimation ‘H’
(à bande blanche):
personnes sans privilèges et immunités autorisées à accompagner les membres des missions diplomatiques,
permanentes ou spéciales et des consulats, collaborateurs des organisations internationales qui ne font pas
partie des fonctionnaires de ces dernières/Carta di legittimazione ‘H’ (a banda bianca): persone senza privilegi e
immunità autorizzate a accompagnare membri di missioni diplomatiche permanenti o speciali e di consolati,
collaboratori di organizzazioni
internazionali senza statuto di funzionari (identity card type H (white stripe):
persons without privileges or immunities who are authorised to accompany members of diplomatic, permanent
or special missions and consulates; employees of international organisations not having the status of officials)

— Legitimationskarte ‘I’ (mit olivem Streifen): Personal nicht schweizerischer Staatsangehörigkeit des Internationalen
Komitees vom Roten Kreuz und Familienmitglieder, die den gleichen Status besitzen/Carte de légitimation ‘I’
(à bande olive): membres du personnel non suisse du Comité international de la Croix-Rouge et membres de
famille qui jouissent du même statut/Carta di legittimazione ‘I’ (a banda oliva): membri del personale non svizzero
del Comitato internazionale della Croce Rossa e familiari che beneficiano dello stesso statuto (Identity card type I
(olive stripe): non-Swiss members of the staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross and members of
their families having the same status)

— Legitimationskarte ‘K’

(mit rosafarbigem Streifen): Berufs-Postenchefs und Berufs-Konsularbeamte der konsula-
rischen Vertretungen und Familienmitglieder, die den gleichen Status besitzen/Carte de légitimation ‘K’ (à bande
rose): chefs de poste consulaire de carrière, fonctionnaires consulaires de carrière et membres de famille qui
jouissent du même statut/Carta di legittimazione ‘K’ (a banda rosa): capiposto consolari di carriera e funzionari
consolari di carriera di rappresentanze consolari e familiari che beneficiano dello stesso statuto (identity card type
K (pink stripe): established heads of consular posts, established consular officials and members of their families
having the same status)

— Legitimationskarte ‘K’ (mit blauem Streifen): Berufs-Konsularangestellte und Familienmitglieder, die den gleichen
Status besitzen/Carte de légitimation ‘K’ (à bande bleue): employés consulaires de carrière et membres de famille
qui jouissent du même statut/Carta di legittimazione ‘K’ (a banda blu): impiegati consolari di carriera e familiari che
beneficiano dello stesso statuto (identity card type K (blue stripe): established consular clerical staff and members
of their families having the same status)

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— Legitimationskarte ‘K’ (mit violettem Streifen): Mitglieder des dienstlichen Hauspersonals von berufs-konsularischen
Vertretungen und Familienmitglieder, die den gleichen Status besitzen/Carte de légitimation ‘K’ (à bande violette):
membres du personnel de service des représentations consulaires de carrière et membres de famille qui jouissent
du même statut/Carta di legittimazione ‘K’ (a banda viola): membri del personale di servizio di rappresentanze
consolari di carriera e familiari che beneficiano dello stesso statuto (identity card type K (violet stripe): members of
the established domestic staff of consular representations and members of their families having the same status)

— Legitimationskarte ‘K’ (mit weißem Streifen): Honorar-Postenchefs von konsularischen Vertretungen/Carte de légit-
imation ‘K’ (à bande blanche): chefs de poste consulaire honoraire/Carta di legittimazione ‘K’ (a banda bianca):
capiposto onorari di rappresentanze consolari (identity card type K (white stripe): honorary heads of consular
posts)

— Legitimationskarte ‘L’ (mit sandfarbigem Streifen): Personal nicht schweizerischer Staatsangehörigkeit der Interna-
tionale Gemeinschaft der Roten Kreuz- und Roten Halbmond-Gesellschaften und Familienmitglieder, die den
gleichen Status besitzen/Carte de légitimation ‘L’ (à bande de couleur sable): membres du personnel non suisse
de la Fédération internationale des Sociétés de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge et membres de famille qui
jouissent du même statut/Carta di legittimazione ‘L’ (a banda color sabbia): membri del personale non svizzero
della Federazione internazionale delle Società della Croce Rossa e della Mezzaluna Rossa e familiari che beneficiano
dello stesso statuto (identity card type L (beige stripe): non-Swiss members of the staff of the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and members of their families having the same status)

— Legitimationskarte ‘O’ (mit grauem Streifen): Mitglieder des Personals nicht schweizerischer Staatsangehörigkeit der
Generaldelegation Palästinas und der ständigen Beobachtermission Palästinas und Familienmitglieder, die den
gleichen Status besitzen/Carte de légitimation ‘O’
(à bande grise): membres du personnel non suisse de la
Délégation générale de Palestine et de la Mission permanente d'observation de la Palestine et membres de
legittimazione ‘O’ (a banda grigia): membri del personale non
famille qui
svizzero della Delegazione generale di Palestina e della Missione permanente di osservazione della Palestina e
familiari che beneficiano dello stesso statuto (identity card type O (grey stripe): non-Swiss members of the staff of
the General Delegation of Palestine and the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine and members of their
families having the same status)

jouissent du même statut/Carta di

— Legitimationskarte ‘S’

(mit grünem Streifen): Mitglieder des Personals schweizerischer Staatsangehörigkeit der
diplomatischen, ständigen und der Spezialmissionen, Beamte schweizerischer Staatsangehörigkeit internationaler
Organisationen/Carte de légitimation ‘S’ (à bande verte): membres du personnel de nationalité suisse des missions
diplomatiques, permanentes et spéciales, fonctionnaires de nationalité suisse des organisations internationales/Carta
(a banda verde): membri del personale di nazionalità svizzera di missioni diplomatiche
di
permanenti e speciali, funzionari di nazionalità svizzera di organizzazioni
internazionali (Identity card type S
(green stripe): Swiss members of the staff of permanent and special diplomatic missions, Swiss officials of
international organisations)

legittimazione ‘S’

— Funktionsbescheinigung für wissenschaftliches Personal des CERN nicht schweizerischer Staatsangehörigkeit/Attes-
tation de fonctions à l'usage du personnel scientifique non suisse du CERN/Attestato di funzione ad uso del
personale scientifico non svizzero del CERN (Attestation of functions for non-Swiss scientific staff at CERN)

— Bescheinung für Familienmitglieder des wissenschaftlichen Personals des CERN nicht schweizerischer Staatsange-
hörigkeit/Attestation à l'usage des membres de la famille du personnel scientifique non suisse du CERN/Attestato
ad uso dei familiari del personale scientifico non svizzero del CERN (Attestation for members of the families of
non-Swiss scientific staff of CERN)

B. RESIDENCE PERMITS ISSUED BY LIECHTENSTEIN

— Jahresaufenthaltsbewilligung (temporary residence permit)

— Niederlassungsbewilligung (establishment permit, the validity of which is unlimited in time).