The Council Decision establishing the organisation and functioning of the EEAS[19] provides in Article 5(10) that the Union delegations shall, upon request by Member States, support them in their diplomatic relations and in their role of providing protection to EU citizens in third countries on a resource-neutral basis.
In het besluit van de Raad tot vaststelling van de organisatie en werking van de EDEO[19] is in artikel 5, lid 10, bepaald dat de delegaties van de Unie de lidstaten op hun verzoek ondersteunen in hun diplomatieke betrekkingen en in hun taak EU-burgers in derde landen consulaire bescherming te bieden.