What changed

From · report parliamentary committee draft · 22 May 2026 LIBE-PR-789005 on the draft for a Council directive amending Directive (EU) 2015/637 on the coordination and cooperation measures to facilitate consular protection for unrepresented citizens of the Union in third countries and Directive (EU) 2019/997 establishing an EU Emergency Travel Document

To · Plenary report · 29 Sept 2026 A-10-2026-0254 on the draft for a Council directive amending Directive (EU) 2015/637 on the coordination and cooperation measures to facilitate consular protection for unrepresented citizens of the Union in third countries and Directive (EU) 2019/997 establishing an EU Emergency Travel Document

✦ In short · AI narration of the differences below, generated 10 Oct 2026

The report adds objectives for the directive, including an automatic criterion under which a Union citizen is unrepresented if safely reaching or being reached by their national embassy or consulate takes more than 48 hours, with no time limit in immediate danger. #3 It also adds objectives on more frequent consular exercises, improved services for vulnerable unrepresented citizens, resources and training for the European External Action Service, cooperation channels between member states and Union delegations, alignment of data protection with the applicable legal framework, and Commission reporting obligations. #3 It drops the statement that the recognition process in a crisis should be kept as simple as possible. #1 The other change is formal: a citation of Council Directive (EU) 2015/637 is added. #2

2 changes of substance, plus 1 formal. Each change below carries a one-line ✦ note from the same model. Written from the two texts only — read the highlighted passages before relying on it.

The changes to the text itself, in document order. Cover page, citations (“having regard to …”), standard resolution paragraphs and punctuation-only edits are left out — they are in “Show every difference”.

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Change #1 Substance

Drops the statement that the process for recognising an EU citizen as unrepresented should be kept as simple as possible in a crisis situation.

Where a crisis situation exists, the process leading to the recognition of an EU citizen as unrepresented should be kept as simple as possible : this general criteria will allow Member States and EU delegations to focus on providing protection to EU citizens by making the identification process to establish a list quasi-automatic.

Change #3 Substance

Adds objectives on identifying unrepresented citizens through an automatic 48-hour criterion, more consular exercises, better services for vulnerable citizens, resources and training for the European External Action Service, cooperation channels, data protection alignment and Commission reporting.

Directive (EU) 2015/637

After the European Parliament delivered its position by a vote in Plenary on 24 April 2024, the Council, at the beginning of 2026, brought substantial modifications to the Commission’s legislative proposal. This report seeks to conclude this reconsultation procedure.

With this report, the Rapporteur recalls that the right, granted under Article 23 of the TFEU, of unrepresented Union citizens to receive the protection of the diplomatic or consular authorities of any Member State on the same conditions as the nationals of that State is one of the most vital elements of Union citizenship.

Noting that recent crisis situations have impacted and endangered thousands of Union citizens abroad, the Rapporteur considers the updating of the legal framework through which Member States, supported everywhere in the world by EU delegations, provide consular services and protection to unrepresented Union citizens abroad urgent.

Therefore, the report pursues the following objectives:

facilitate the identification of such citizens through an automatic criterion: Union citizens shall be considered unrepresented if the possibility to safely reach or be reached by the embassy or consulate of their Member State of nationality is superior to 48 hours. In case of a situation that presents an immediate danger, this period will not apply, and that Union citizen will be considered unrepresented immediately;

increase anticipation and preparation efforts by the relevant authorities of the Member States and Union delegations through more frequent consular exercises;

improve the services delivered to vulnerable unrepresented Union citizens;

secure the resources allocated to the EEAS and the training received by Union officials, which the Rapporteur considers necessary for the increasing Union support brought to Member States in achieving these tasks;

create channels of cooperation between Member States and Union delegations to improve early alert systems on evolving situations, harmonize the travel advice delivered to Union citizens and improve emergency contacting of Union citizens where the situation requires it;

align the data protection mechanisms with the applicable legal framework, without endangering the capacity of the Member States’ competent authorities and Union institutions and bodies to carry out these tasks;

create reporting obligations on the European Commission to ensure that this legal framework stays up to date with the necessities that will arise from the international context in the coming years.