PURPOSE: To determine the minimum indications to be used on signs at external border crossing points.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2004/581 determining the minimum indications to be used on signs at external border crossing points.

CONTENT: The purpose of this Decision is to update existing indications on signs at external air border crossing points marking the channels for persons entering the territory of the Member States. It also establishes, in a uniform manner, the indications for new signs marking the passenger channels at external land and sea borders. In order to enact this Decision the following provisions have been agreed:

- Member States must provide separate lanes at authorised air border crossing points at their external borders in order to carry out the necessary border check on persons entering their territory. The same signs are to be used in cases where Member States provide separate lanes at land and sea border crossing points at their external borders.

- The sings, which are electronic, are set out in Annexes attached to the Decision.

- Citizens of the EU, nationals of States parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, nationals of the Swiss Confederation and members of families who benefit from the provisions of Community law on the free movement of citizens of the EU are entitled to use the lane indicated by the sign in Annex I. They may also use the lane indicated by the sign in Annex II.

- All other third-country nationals must use the lane indicated in Annex II. These rules may be waived in the event of a temporary imbalance in the traffic flows at a particular border point.

- At land and seaport border crossing points, Member States may separate vehicle traffic into different lanes for light and heavy vehicles and buses, by using signs as shown in Annex III.

Denmark , the United Kingdom and Ireland will not be taking part in the adoption of this Decision

DATE OF APPLICATION: This Decision shall apply from 1 June 2004 in so far as Member States set up new signs or replace existing signs at border crossing points covered by this Decision. In all other cases, this Decision shall apply from 1 June 2009.