L116)2 Official Journal of the European Communities 26.4.2001 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) 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 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular points 2 and 3 of Article 62 thereof, Having regard to the initiative of the Republic of Finland ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (%), Whereas: 1) The Common Consular Instructions (CCI) on Visas for the Diplomatic Missions and Consular Posts, listed under reference SCH/Com-ex (99) 13 in Article 1 of Annex A to Council Decision 1999/435/EC of 20 May 1999 concerning the definition of the Schengen acquis for the purpose of determining, in conformity with the relevant provisions of the Treaty establishing the European Community and the Treaty on European Union, the legal basis for each of the provisions or decisions which constitute the acquis (?), were established with a view to implementing the provisions of Title II, Chapter 3, of the Convention, signed in Schengen on 19 June 1990, implementing the Schengen Agreement of 14 June 1985 between the governments of the States of the Benelux Economic Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and the French Republic on the gradual abolition of checks at their common borders, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Convention’. Certain detailed provisions and practical procedures for examining visa applications in the diplomatic missions and consular posts of Member States participating in the closer cooperation referred to in Article 1 of the Protocol integrating the Schengen acquis into the frame- work of the European Union, hereinafter referred to as the ‘Protocol’, contained in the CCI and the Annexes thereto, are to be adopted and regularly amended and updated in order to meet the operational requirements of the relevant consular authorities. In addition, a manual of documents to which a visa may be affixed, listed under reference SCH/Com-ex (98) 56 and SCH/Com-ex (99) 14 in Annex A to Decision 1999/ () O] C 164, 14.6.2000, p. 7. (¥ Opinion delivered on 13 March 2001 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () O] L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 1. 435[EC, has been established pursuant to Annex 11 of the CCL It is necessary that the provisions of this manual be adopted and regularly amended and updated in order to meet the operational requirements of the relevant consular authorities. Furthermore, a manual concerning the issuance of Schengen visas in third States where all the Schengen States are not represented has been established as Docu- ment SCH/II (95) 16, 19th revision, listed under refer- ence SCH/Com-ex (99) 13 in Annex A to Decision 1999/435[EC. It is also necessary that the provisions of this manual be adopted and regularly amended and updated. Finally, pursuant to Council Decision 2000/645/EC of 17 October 2000 correcting the Schengen acquis as contained in  Schengen  Executive = Committee SCH/Com-ex (94) 15 rev. (*, document SCH/II-Vision (99) 5 (hereinafter referred to as ‘Schengen Consultation Network (Technical Specifications)’) which, inter alia, lays down the principles pursuant to which the compu- terised procedure for consultation, for the purposes of issuing visas, of the central authorities referred to in Article 17(2) of the Convention must be applied is attached to Schengen Executive Committee decision SCH/Com-ex (94) 15 rev. It is also necessary that the provisions of the Schengen Consultation Network (Tech- nical Specifications) be adopted and regularly amended and updated. Various provisions of Title II, Chapter 3, of the Conven- tion, and in particular Article 17 thereof, and of the CCI, provide for implementing decisions to be taken by the Executive Committee, established by the Schengen agree- ments adopted before 1 May 1999, for which the Council has substituted itself, pursuant to Article 2 of the Protocol. Pursuant to Article 1 of the Protocol, cooperation in the context of the Schengen acquis is to be conducted within the institutional and legal frame- work of the European Union and with respect for the relevant provisions of the Treaty on European Union and of the Treaty establishing the European Community. () O] L 272, 25.10.2000, p. 24.