Local border traffic at external borders: inclusion of the Kaliningrad area and certain Polish administrative districts in the eligible border area

The Council adopted a general approach on a proposal to amend the EU rules on local border traffic (LBT). This will allow the start of contacts with the European Parliament.

The Council also adopted a joint declaration of the Council and the Commission which underlines that the solution proposed for the Kaliningrad area does not constitute a precedent for any other regions in relation to the EU local border traffic rules. Finally, the Council took note of a declaration of Poland outlining the measures Poland is taking to provide for a high level of security and transparency.

The proposed amendments aim at facilitating border crossings in the Kaliningrad area through the inclusion of the Kaliningrad area and specified and limited Polish administrative districts in the eligible border area. The Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation with a population of almost one million inhabitants became the only enclave within the EU as a consequence of the 2004 EU enlargement.