VZCZCXRO9962
RR RUEHAG RUEHLZ
DE RUEHDF #0016/01 1291313
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091313Z MAY 07
FM AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0076
INFO RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHDF/AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF 0089

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSSELDORF 000016 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR CA/EX AND EUR/EX 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CMGT CASC AFIN GM
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR A NEW CONSULAR AGENCY -- COLOGNE 
 
REF: DUESSELDORF 13 
 
DUSSELDORF 00000016  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  Summary: Mission requests the establishment of a new 
consular agency to be located in Cologne, North-Rhine Westphalia 
(NRW), the most populous and politically and economically 
important state in Germany.  The American Citizen Services (ACS) 
unit of the U.S. Consulate General Duesseldorf will cease 
operations o/a June 29, 2007, leaving an estimated 20,000 
resident American citizens and hundreds of thousands of visitors 
without local support in case of emergency as well as for 
routine services.  After that date, services for American 
citizens in NRW will be provided by Consulate General Frankfurt. 
 A Consular Agent in Cologne will assist Frankfurt to absorb the 
subsequent increase in ACS workload and be responsible for tasks 
such as prison visits, welfare/whereabouts checks, and services 
related to Amcit deaths which are more economically, effectively 
and efficiently handled locally.  The agency would be located in 
office space provided rent-free in the same building as the 
successor institution to the America House in Cologne being 
established by a coalition of German partners.  This cable has 
been coordinated with Embassy Berlin and Consulate General 
Frankfurt.  End Summary. 
 
NRW Statistics 
------------- 
 
¶2.  There are 10,688 American citizen residents registered with 
authorities in NRW and estimates including dual nationals 
approximate 20,000.  There are some 640 American companies in 
NRW.  State authorities registered more than 170,000 Amcits 
visitors to NRW in 2006 (using hotel and airport immigration 
records), but the number is far larger, given the enormous 
number of persons who arrive by other means and stay privately. 
There are currently 25 direct, non-stop flights weekly to the 
U.S. from Duesseldorf and Koeln/Bonn airports, and another major 
airline plans to start daily direct service in early June.  More 
than a thousand Americans study as exchange students in NRW high 
schools and universities each year.  NRW hosts more than 100 
leading international trade fairs with thousands of U.S. 
exhibitors every year. 
 
¶3.  Statistics taken from the 2006 Consular Workload Statistics 
System (CWSS) report for Duesseldorf are indicative of workload 
that would be managed by a Cologne Consular Agency in close 
coordination with Frankfurt.  Duesseldorf received a total of 
2,436 passport cases, including 1,294 first time and 190 
emergency applications; processed 223 applications for Consular 
Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA) with 200 issued; and provided 
1,142 notarial services.  There were 54 death cases involving 
Amcits and another 10 involving shipment of remains to the U.S. 
of non-citizens; 34 welfare/whereabouts checks; and 11 cases 
involving hospitalization of Amcits.  ACS Duesseldorf provided 
assistance in eight child custody cases, two other cases related 
to the protection of minors, three cases involving Amcit victims 
of spousal abuse and one victim hospitalized after a violent 
attack.  At present 11 Amcits are incarcerated in nine different 
NRW jails. 
 
Workload Implications of ACS D|sseldorf Closure 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶4.  As a result of CA/EX staffing review and consular 
realignment, the ACS unit of Consulate General Duesseldorf will 
cease operations o/a June 29, 2007.  Frankfurt, the nearest 
consulate general, will provide services previously handled by 
Duesseldorf.  Absorbing this significant increase in ACS 
workload will require innovative steps by consular management. 
 
¶5.  A Consular Agent in Cologne who accepts passport 
applications and provides notarial services will dramatically 
reduce the number of persons who must visit Frankfurt ACS.  We 
have informed the national Amcham organization and NRW 
leadership about the ACS closure.  They have taken the news 
stoically, but Amcham has asked about the possibility of what 
they call a "very smart postbox" in NRW which would handle the 
many travel and document-related services their members now 
receive from Duesseldorf.  Amcham would very much welcome a 
consular agent, some of whose work would be of this nature. 
 
¶6.  A consular agent based in NRW would also significantly 
increase the efficiency of Special Consular Services (SCS).  A 
local agent is best placed to develop NRW contacts and to take 
best advantage of local social support networks to assist Amcits 
in need.  Proximity is a great advantage when dealing with child 
custody, death, abuse and other similar sensitive SCS casework. 
Travel implications are also significant.  For example, the 
drive to the Osnabrueck jail (where an Amcit is incarcerated) 
from Cologne requires about six hours round-trip; a visit from 
Frankfurt would require a ten hour drive, probably necessitating 
an overnight stay.  A cost comparison of train tickets to/from 
Osnabrueck yields a difference of over $110/trip. 
 
 
DUSSELDORF 00000016  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
 
 
Proposal for a Cologne Consular Agency 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  Before the end of FY2007, America House Cologne (AHK) will 
cease to be run by the USG and will be transferred to a 
coalition of German partners who, under the leadership of 
Cologne Mayor Fritz Schramma, will take over a legacy 
institution.  Mayor Schramma has offered rent-free office space 
for a consular agency in the AHK successor institution; a 
well-known location already associated with America and the USG. 
 See reftel for a more complete description of planned 
restructuring of Consulate General Duesseldorf. 
 
¶8.  The quantity of services and number of complex emergency 
cases anticipated (based on Duesseldorf's 2006 CWSS) support a 
request for a 36 hour-a-week, 90% agent.  The cost in salary and 
benefits of such an agent is approximately one third the cost of 
a senior LES.  Establishing a Cologne Consular Agency would 
lessen the pressure on Frankfurt which faces major increases in 
workload and costs as a result of the closure of the Duesseldorf 
ACS unit and at the same time demonstrate continued USG 
commitment to American citizens in NRW.  The Cologne Consular 
Agency would be supervised by Frankfurt. 
 
¶9.  Establishment of a Cologne Consular Agency, planned in 
coordination with the closure of the Duesseldorf ACS unit, 
transfer of PD staff from AHK, and establishment of an AHK 
legacy institution, will result in significant savings.  As 
noted above, office space has been offered at no cost to the 
USG.  The idea has strong support from a major partner of ours, 
Cologne Mayor Schramma.  Expenditures for security upgrades, 
space renovations, furniture, installation of telephone lines, 
and other make ready costs will be minimal.  Equipment in the 
consular agent toolkit, such as computer and printer, may be 
transferred from excess CA equipment resulting from the closure 
of ACS Duesseldorf. 
 
¶10.  Estimated start-up costs are: 
 
          Desktop copier               USD  350 
          Answering machine                    50 
          Shredder                                  400 
          Phone/internet line transfer          80 
          Cellular phone                            60 
 
Total CA start-up cost:  USD 940 
 
          FSI training                  USD 5,000 
          Office supplies                         250 
 
Total post/program start-up cost:  USD 5,250 
 
¶11.  Estimated recurring costs (calculated annually) are: 
 
          Salary (FZ-90 step 1)          USD 32,278 
          FICA (7.65%)                               2,469 
          Health insurance (7.75%)               2,500 
          Cellular phone service                       720 
          Phone/internet service                       900 
 
Total annual CA (through MRV funding request) cost:  USD 38,867 
 
          Travel (incl. supervisory)       USD 2,500 
          Office supplies                                 750 
 
Total annual post/program cost:  USD 3,250 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12.  The establishment of a new consular agency in Cologne is an 
efficient, cost effective strategy for Frankfurt to manage the 
increased workload associated with the closure of the ACS unit 
in Duesseldorf.  It also reflects the importance of a consular 
presence in Germany's most populous state.  Statistics 
demonstrate that the many American citizen residents and 
visitors requiring ACS assistance in NRW justify a consular 
agency in Cologne.  An agent located within the state can more 
efficiently handle the large volume of sensitive and complex SCS 
casework in NRW.  In addition, the cost of maintaining a 
consular agent in Cologne would be less than the cost of an 
additional LES in Frankfurt to absorb added ACS workload.  The 
unique opportunity to locate an agent in the AHK legacy 
institution, at significant savings to the USG, makes the 
proposal to establish a consular agency in Cologne all the more 
attractive. 
BOYSE