International agreements have been concluded between CERN, Switzerland and France concerning Gate E («Charles de Gaulle Gate») aimed at reducing congestion at the Prévessin–RN84 and Route de Meyrin customs posts.

On the basis of these agreements, the Director-General has issued Rules for the use of Gate E (see this document, available on the Relations with the Host States website), which includes the following provisions:

a) Gate E is open from Monday to Friday, except on official CERN holidays, from 7am to 9.30am for access to the site, and from 4.30pm to 7pm for departure from the site.

b) The following persons are authorised to use Gate E:

– members of the CERN personnel (who may be accompanied by any of their children attending the CERN nursery school),

– members of contractors’ personnel working on the CERN site.

These persons must be in possession of the following three documents: 

• their CERN access card of the Blue “C” type or Red “E” type proving that they are authorised to use Gate E,
• their national identity card, if accepted by French and Swiss regulations, or their passport (with visa if required by the French and/or Swiss regulations),
• their French residence permit if they live on French territory and are not nationals of Switzerland or a Member State of the European Union (e.g. a special French AT, FI or CD card issued by the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs).

c) All persons using Gate E must present their CERN access card to the guard on duty without being prompted, and wait until he specifically authorises them to pass.

d) Only personal effects that are not subject to a customs declaration may be transported (cf. websites of the Swiss and French customs, e.g. here).

e)  Persons are authorised to use Gate E exclusively for the purposes of travelling to work on the Meyrin Site from French territory and vice versa (it is strictly forbidden to use Gate E in order to gain access to the territories of the Host States outside the boundaries of the CERN site).