Passports issued by the 27 member states of the European Union follow a common design and grant their holders EU citizenship rights. The EU itself does not issue ordinary passports.[1] The design features a colored cover (for which burgundy is recommended:[1] all countries except Croatia follow this recommendation) emblazoned—in the official language(s) of the issuing country (and sometimes its translation into English and French)—with the title "European Union", followed by the name(s) of the member state, the heraldic "Arms" of the State concerned, the word "PASSPORT", together with the biometric passport symbol at the bottom center of the front cover.[2]
Some EU member states also issue non-EU passports to certain people who have a nationality which does not render them citizens of the European Union (e.g., Danish nationals residing in the Faroe Islands).
In addition, the European Commission issues European Union Laissez-Passers to the members and certain civil servants of its institutions.[3]