Article 1 Definitions

For the purpose of this Agreement:

1. (a)

   ‘Contracting Parties’ shall mean the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Community;

2. (b)

   ‘Readmission’ shall mean the transfer by the Requesting State and admission by the Requested State of persons (own nationals of the Requested State, third country nationals or stateless person) who have been found illegally entering, being present in or residing in the Requesting State, in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement;

3. (c)

   ‘National of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’ shall mean any person who holds the nationality of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in accordance with its national legislation;

4. (d)

   ‘National of a Member State’ shall mean any person who holds the nationality, as defined for Community purposes, of a Member State;

5. (e)

   ‘Member State’ shall mean any Member State of the European Union, with the exception of the Kingdom of Denmark;

6. (f)

   ‘Third-country national’ shall mean any person who holds a nationality other than that of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or one of the Member States;

7. (g)

   ‘Stateless person’ shall mean any person who does not hold a nationality;

8. (h)

   ‘Residence permit’ shall mean a permit of any type issued by the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or one of the Member States entitling a person to reside on its territory. This shall not include temporary permissions to remain on its territory in connection with the processing of an asylum application or an application for a residence permit;

9. (i)

   ‘Visa’ shall mean an authorisation issued or a decision taken by the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or one of the Member States which is required with a view to entry in, or transit through, its territory. This shall not include airport transit visa;

10. (j)

    ‘Requesting State’ shall mean the State (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or one of the Member States) submitting a readmission application pursuant to Article 7 or a transit application pursuant to Article 14 of this Agreement;

11. (k)

    ‘Requested State’ shall mean the State (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or one of the Member States) to which a readmission application pursuant to Article 7 or a transit application pursuant to Article 14 of this Agreement is addressed;

12. (l)

    ‘Competent Authority’ shall mean any national authority of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or one of the Member States entrusted with the implementation of this Agreement in accordance with Article 19 (1) lit. a) thereof;

13. (m)

    ‘Border region’ shall mean an area which extends up to 30 kilometres from the common land border between a Member State and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as well as the territories of International airports of the Member States and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia;

14. (n)

    ‘Transit’ shall mean the passage of a third country national or a stateless person through the territory of the Requested State while travelling from the Requesting State to the country of destination.