Measures to facilitate consular protection for unrepresented citizens of the Union in third countries
Parliament is consulted: it gives an opinion and can propose amendments, but the Council takes the decision and need not follow them.
Where it stands: Parliament gave its opinion on 7 October 2026. The Council takes the final decision.
- ✓ Referred to committee 9 March 2026
- ✓ Committee work Report adopted 28 September 2026
- ✓ Tabled for plenary 29 September 2026
- ✓ Plenary vote Adopted 7 October 2026
- 5 Adopted by the Council
How a file moves through Parliament
A file is referred to one lead committee (others may give an opinion). Its rapporteur writes a draft report, committee members table amendments, and the committee votes to adopt the report. The report is then tabled for all MEPs; political groups can table further amendments, which are voted on before the final vote in plenary. The Council takes the final decision, and the act is published in the Official Journal.
Who is working on it
- Lead committee
- LIBE — Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
- Rapporteurs
- Lena DÜPONT PPELoránt VINCZE PPE
- Shadow rapporteurs
- Marina KALJURAND S&DAssita KANKO ECRJana TOOM RenewTineke STRIK Verts/ALEMEP #131507 The LeftMarieke EHLERS PfERaquel GARCÍA HERMIDA-VAN DER WALLE RenewIlaria SALIS The Left
- For opinion
- AFET — Foreign Affairs · rapporteur Nacho SÁNCHEZ AMOR S&DJURI — Legal Affairs · rapporteur MEP #124738 IDDEVE — Development
The rapporteur drafts and negotiates the text for the lead committee; each other political group names a shadow rapporteur to follow the file.
The text, version by version
Latest Adopted by Parliament → Adopted by Parliament: The new version extends consular protection to recognised refugees, stateless persons and other legally entitled persons, and adds that Union delegations shall provide assistance where they are the only representation or during crises. It adds detailed rules on crisis preparedness, including joint consular contingency plans, early warning systems, citizen registration, travel advice coordination, crisis training and joint consular teams. It adds provisions on cost reimbursement, data protection safeguards, access to complaint mechanisms, special protection of children, and information to citizens through digital tools and passports. It adds that the European External Action Service and Union delegations shall receive necessary resources, and that the Commission shall evaluate the Directive and report after five years. see the changes →
Tabled for plenary → Adopted by Parliament: The new version extends consular protection to refugees, stateless persons and others legally entitled, and adds criteria for being unrepresented, including a 48-hour limit. It adds roles for Union delegations, including providing assistance and issuing Emergency Travel Documents, and requires financial and human resources for the EEAS and delegations. It requires joint consular contingency plans, early warning systems, travel advice coordination, crisis training, and information sharing among member states and Union delegations. It adds special protection for children, an intersectional approach for vulnerable groups, and new rules on reimbursement, data protection, complaint mechanisms and evaluation. see the changes →
Committee draft → Tabled for plenary: 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. 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. It drops the statement that the recognition process in a crisis should be kept as simple as possible. The other change is formal: a citation of Council Directive (EU) 2015/637 is added. see the changes →
Committee draft → Committee draft: The new version removes provisions on identifying unrepresented citizens, consular information and awareness, data protection safeguards, Union delegation support, early warning systems, travel registration, information exchange, reporting, digital notification systems and evaluation. It also adds repeated references to Directive (EU) 2015/637. see the changes →
Committee opinions: Draft opinion (AFET),Opinion (AFET),Opinion (AFET),Opinion (JURI),Draft opinion (JURI)
Newest version first. Open a version to read it in full. “What changed” shows the differences paragraph by paragraph; ✦ lines are AI-written from the texts themselves.
Timeline
- Plenary stage
- 7 October 2026 Plenary voteAdopted Adopted by a large majorityFor 470 Against 180 Abstained 18
Final vote at 13:12 · 70% of votes cast in favour · every MEP’s position →
Show all 8 ballots in voting order
1. Amendments by the committee responsible — put to the vote collectively Amendments by the committee responsible – put to the vote collectivelyAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded2. Amendment 42 to Article 1 13:11 A10-0254/2026 – Lena Düpont – Article 1 – § 1 – point 1; Directive (EU) 2015/637 – Article 7 – after paragraph 1 – Am 42Rejected3. Amendment 39 to Article 1 13:11 A10-0254/2026 – Lena Düpont – Article 1 – § 1 – point 1; Directive (EU) 2015/637 – Article 7 – After paragraph 4 – Am 39Rejected4. Separate vote on Article 1 Article 1 – § 1 – point 1; Directive (EU) 2015/637 – Article 7 – after paragraph 4AdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded5. Amendment 38 to Article 1 13:11 A10-0254/2026 – Lena Düpont – Article 1 – § 1 – point 10; Directive (EU) 2015/637 – Article 19 – After § 3 – Am 38Adopted6. Amendment 40 to Article 1 13:12 A10-0254/2026 – Lena Düpont – Article 1 – § 1 – point -1; Directive (EU) 2015/637 – after recital 15 – Am 40Rejected7. Amendment 41, adding text after recital 1 13:12 A10-0254/2026 – Lena Düpont – after recital 1 – Am 41RejectedAdopted - 30 September – 5 October 2026 42 amendments tabled for the plenary vote
Groups propose changes to the tabled text; each is voted on before the final vote.
- 29 September 2026 Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
- Committee stage
- 28 September 2026 Committee vote: report adopted
LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
- 12 June 2026 Amendments tabled in committee
Members of LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) proposed changes to the draft.
- 22 May 2026 Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
- 5 May 2026 AFET (Foreign Affairs) adopted its opinion
The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.
- 9 March 2026 Referred to the LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) committee
The lead committee prepares the report; AFET (Foreign Affairs), JURI (Legal Affairs), DEVE (Development) give an opinion.
- Plenary stage
- 24 April 2024 Plenary voteAdopted Adopted by an overwhelming majorityFor 521 Against 89 Abstained 17
Final vote at 13:55 · 83% of votes cast in favour · every MEP’s position →
- 19 April 2024 Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
- Committee stage
- 18 April 2024 Committee opinion adopted
The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.
- 8 April 2024 JURI (Legal Affairs) adopted its opinion
The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.
- 20 March 2024 AFET (Foreign Affairs) adopted its opinion
The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.
- 14 March 2024 Referred to the LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) committee
The lead committee prepares the report; AFET (Foreign Affairs), JURI (Legal Affairs), DEVE (Development) give an opinion.
- 5 March 2024 Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
- 5 March 2024 Draft opinion from JURI (Legal Affairs)
An associated committee gives its view to the lead committee.
- 21 February 2024 Draft opinion from AFET (Foreign Affairs)
An associated committee gives its view to the lead committee.