Free movement of persons: signs at external border crossing points. Initiative Greece

PURPOSE : to present a draft initiative of the Hellenic Republic with a view to adopting a Council Decision determining the minimum indications to be used on signs at external border crossing points. CONTENT : it is necessary to update the existing indications on signs at external air border crossing points marking the channels for persons entering and/or leaving the territory of the Member States. The aim of this proposal is to determine, in a uniform manner, the minimum indications for new signs marking the passenger channels at external land and sea borders, where such channels are used. It is foreseen that Member States shall provide separate lanes at authorised air border crossing points at their external borders in order to carry out the necessary border checks on persons entitled under Community law and other persons. The lanes shall be differentiated by means of specific signs. The same signs shall be used if Member States wish to provide separate lanes at land and sea border crossing points at their external borders. The indications on the signs, which may be displayed electronically, shall be as follows: - the emblem of the European Union with the letters "EU", "EEA" and "CH" within the circle of stars and the word "CITIZENS" beneath the circle of stars (Annex I); - the words "ALL NATIONALITIES (Annex II)"; Citizens of the EU, nationals of States parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and nationals of the Swiss Confederation shall, as a general rule, use the lane indicated by the sign in Annex I. All other third-country nationals shall use the lane indicated by the sign in Annex II. However, in the event of a temporary imbalance in the traffic flows at a particular border crossing point, this general rule may be waived by the competent authorities for the time necessary to eliminate such imbalance. At land border crossing points, Member States may separate vehicle traffic into different lanes for light and heavy vehicles, by using specific signs. TERRITORIAL APPLICATION : Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Decision, and is not bound by it or subject to its application. It shall decide within a period of six months after the Council has adopted this Decision whether it will implement it in its national law. On the other hand, the UK and Ireland are not taking part in the adoption of the present text in accordance with Council Decision 2000/365/EC and Council Decision 2002/192/EC. Iceland and Norway shall take part in the implementation of the present Decision.�