identity card type B (pink stripe): heads of diplomatic, permanent or special missions, senior officials of international organisations and members of their families having the same status,

Notes that the Portuguese Presidency followed the German initiatives under the guidelines and instructed all EU diplomatic missions in priority countries to regard the country-specific strategies adopted by COHOM on 15 June 2007 as standing instructions to be incorporated in the work of the Heads of Mission in the area of children in armed conflicts; welcomes the fact that the Presidency-in-office has also forwarded to local Presidencies the reports received by relevant NGOs regarding specific countries; welcomes the Slovenian Presidency's initiative in commissioning a study on the impact of EU measures on children affected by armed co ...[+++]nflict; stresses in this connection the limited impact the guidelines have on children and armed conflicts, owing in particular to the fact that the majority of the Commission delegations and Member State embassies were not informed that their host country was considered a priority country for the application of these guidelines;

Welcomes the well-established practice of appointing MEPs as Chief Observers of EU EOMs, calls for the appointment process to be clear and transparent in order to ensure the credibility of the Chief Observer and stresses that, while throughout the duration of their mandate they work closely with the Commission and other EU institutions, they should always maintain a clear and well-defined independence, without interference.

This document is issued to the head and members of every diplomatic mission and to members of their families (spouses and children up to the age of 18) holding diplomatic passports.

Other than in cases of extreme urgency, no financial advance or assistance may be given or expenditure incurred on behalf of a citizen of the Union without the permission of the competent authorities of the Member State of which that citizen is a national, such permission being given either by the Foreign Ministry or by the nearest diplomatic mission.

Other than in cases of extreme urgency, no financial advance or assistance may be given or expenditure incurred on behalf of a citizen of the Union without the permission of the competent authorities of the Member State of which that citizen is a national, such permission being given either by the Foreign Ministry or by the nearest diplomatic mission.