9.1.2004 Official Journal of the European Union L 5/79 COUNCIL DECISION of 22 December 2003 amending Part V, point 1.4, of the Common Consular Instructions and Part I, point 4.1.2 of the Common Manual as regards inclusion of the requirement to be in possession of travel medical insurance as one of the supporting documents for the grant of a uniform entry visa (2004/17[EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 789/2001 of 24 April 2001 reserving to the Council implementing powers with regard to certain detailed provisions and practical procedures for examining visa applications (), Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 790/2001 of 24 April 2001 reserving to the Council implementing powers with regard to certain detailed provisions and practical procedures for carrying out border checks and surveillance (3, Having regard to the initiative of the Hellenic Republic, Whereas: 1 Point 22 of the Tampere European Council conclusions stressed that ‘a common active policy on visas and false documents should be further developed, including closer cooperation between EU consulates in third countries An essential condition for the application of a common policy on the issuing of visas is the greatest possible harmonisation of the conditions for the issuing of visas, in particular as regards the supporting documents relating to means of subsistence which are submitted in support of applications. It is necessary for visa applicants to be in possession, among the supporting documents they are required to produce, of evidence of individual or group travel insur- ance to cover any expenses which might arise in connec- tion with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention andfor emergency hospital treatment during their stay in the territory of the Member States applying in full the provisions of the Schengen acquis. Applicants should in principle underwrite insurance in their State of residence. Where this is not possible, they should seek to obtain insurance in any other country. It is advisable to provide for the possibility of exceptions to the requirement to be in possession of travel insur- ance in the case of holders of diplomatic, official duty L 116, 26.4.2001, p. 2. L 116, 26.4.2001, p. 5. and other official passports and to provide for the possi- bility of establishing, in the framework of local consular cooperation, that nationals of certain third States should not have to comply with this requirement. In addition, it should be possible for the diplomatic or consular post examining the application to waive this requirement in specific cases where it considers it appropriate to do so. It is advisable for a comment to be made in the national entries section of the visa sticker in order to make it clear whether the holder of the visa has been exempted from the requirement to possess travel insurance. The Common Manual should be amended to provide that where the holder cannot produce evidence of such insur- ance at the border crossing point, the responsible officer must check whether such a comment has been made. In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of the Protocol on the position of Denmark annexed to the Treaty on Euro- pean Union and to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Decision, and is not bound by it or subject to its application. Given that this Decision builds upon the Schengen acquis under the provisions of Title IV of Part Three of the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, Denmark will, in accordance with Article 5 of the said Protocol, decide within a period of six months after the Council has adopted this Decision whether it will implement it in its national law. As regards the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway, this Decision constitutes a development of provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement concluded by the Council of the Euro- pean Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway concerning the association of those two States with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (*), which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point A, of Council Decision 1999/437[EC on certain arrangements for the application of that Agreement (*). () OJL 176, 10.7.1999, p. 36. () OJL 176, 10.7.1999, p. 31.