Enlargement, Kaliningrad: specific Facilitated Transit Document (FTD), Facilitated Rail Transit Document (FRTD), Common Consular Instructions and Common Manual

PURPOSE : to establish a Facilitated Transit document (FTD) and a Facilitated Rail Transit Document (FRTD) for the purpose of facilitated transit, and to amend the Common consular Instructions and the Common Manual. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Regulation 693/2003/EC. CONTENT : this Regulation defines facilitated transit as the direct transit by land of a third country national who has to cross the territory of one or more Member State in order to travel between two parts of his own country which are not geographically contiguous. It sets out the conditions, application procedure and issuing procedure for the FTD and the FRTD. Both documents must be issued in uniform formats in accordance with Regulation 694/2003/EC (refer to CNS/2003/0027). The FTD is a specific authorisation allowing for a facilitated transit, which may be issued by Member States for multiple entries by whatever means of land transport. In addition: - it is valid for a maximum of three years. A transit based on the FTD must not exceed 24 hours; - an applicant for an FTD must have valid reasons for frequent travelling between two parts of the country. - the application for an FTD will be presented to the consular authorities of a Member State. If more than one Member State has communicated its decision to use the FTD, the application must be submitted to the Member State of the first entry. When appropriate, the procedure must provide for the submission of documents showing the need for frequent travel, particularly family links or social economic or other motives; - the application is in standard form as set out in the Annex; - the fee for processing the application is EUR 5. The FRTD is a specific authorisation allowing for facilitated transit, which may be issued by Member States for a single entry and return by rail. In addition: - the FRTD is valid for a maximum period of three months. A transit based on the FRTD must not exceed six hours. - regarding the application procedure, a Member State may, as a rule, accept applications transmitted via other authorities or third parties; - the personal data for an FRTD must be supplied on the basis of the Personal Data Sheet set out in the Annex. This Data Sheet may be filled in on board the train before the FRTD is affixed. It must be filled in before entry into the Member State through which the train passes on condition that the basic personal data are sent electronically to the Member State when the railway ticket is bought. The decision on issuing the FRTD must be taken by the competent consular authorities at the latest 24 hours after the electronic transmission. - the FRTD will be issued free of charge. Finally, the Common consular Instructions and Manual are amended, since the FTD and the FRTD have the same value as transit visas. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 18/04/03.