Article 1 
Purpose This Regulation establishes specific provisions introducing a temporary derogation from certain provisions of the Schengen acquis concerning the procedures for applying for and issuing visas as well as for the uniform format for visas for members of the Olympic family for the duration of the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Apart from these specific provisions, the relevant provisions of the Schengen acquis concerning procedures for applying for and issuing the uniform visa shall remain in force. Article 2 Definitions For the purposes of this Regulation: 1. "Responsible organisations" relating to measures envisaged to facilitate the procedures for applying for and issuing visas for members of the Olympic family taking part in the 2004 Olympic or Paralympic Games means the official organisations, in terms of the Olympic Charter, which are entitled to submit lists of members of the Olympic family to the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games with a view to the issue of accreditation cards for the Games; 2. "Member of the Olympic family" means any persons who are members of the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, International Federations, the National Olympic and Paralympic Committees, the Organising Committees of the Olympic Games and the national associations, such as athletes, judges/referees, coaches and other sports technicians, medical personnel attached to teams or individual sportsmen/women and media-accredited journalists, senior executives, donors, sponsors or other official invitees, who agree to be guided by the Olympic Charter, act under the control and supreme authority of the International Olympic Committee, are included on the lists of the responsible organisations and are accredited by the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games as participants in the 2004 Olympic or Paralympic Games; 3. "Olympic accreditation cards", issued by the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games, in accordance with Article 16 of the Greek law 3103/2003, means one of two secure documents, one for the Olympic Games and one for the Paralympic Games, bearing a photograph of its holder, establishing the identity of the member of the Olympic family and authorising access to the facilities at which competitions are held and to other events scheduled during the period of the Games; 4. "Duration of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games" means the period from 13 July 2004 to 29 September 2004 for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games and the period from 18 August 2004 to 29 October 2004 for the 2004 Autumn Paralympic Games; 5. "Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games" means the Committee set up under Article 2 of Greek Law 2598/1998 to organise the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Athens, which decides on accreditation of members of the Olympic family taking part in those Games; 6. "Services responsible for issuing visas" means the services designated in Greece to examine applications and issue visas to members of the Olympic family.
Article 2 
Definitions For the purposes of this Regulation: 1. "Responsible organisations" relating to measures envisaged to facilitate the procedures for applying for and issuing visas for members of the Olympic family taking part in the 2004 Olympic or Paralympic Games means the official organisations, in terms of the Olympic Charter, which are entitled to submit lists of members of the Olympic family to the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games with a view to the issue of accreditation cards for the Games; 2. "Member of the Olympic family" means any persons who are members of the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, International Federations, the National Olympic and Paralympic Committees, the Organising Committees of the Olympic Games and the national associations, such as athletes, judges/referees, coaches and other sports technicians, medical personnel attached to teams or individual sportsmen/women and media-accredited journalists, senior executives, donors, sponsors or other official invitees, who agree to be guided by the Olympic Charter, act under the control and supreme authority of the International Olympic Committee, are included on the lists of the responsible organisations and are accredited by the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games as participants in the 2004 Olympic or Paralympic Games; 3. "Olympic accreditation cards", issued by the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games, in accordance with Article 16 of the Greek law 3103/2003, means one of two secure documents, one for the Olympic Games and one for the Paralympic Games, bearing a photograph of its holder, establishing the identity of the member of the Olympic family and authorising access to the facilities at which competitions are held and to other events scheduled during the period of the Games; 4. "Duration of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games" means the period from 13 July 2004 to 29 September 2004 for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games and the period from 18 August 2004 to 29 October 2004 for the 2004 Autumn Paralympic Games; 5. "Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games" means the Committee set up under Article 2 of Greek Law 2598/1998 to organise the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Athens, which decides on accreditation of members of the Olympic family taking part in those Games; 6. "Services responsible for issuing visas" means the services designated in Greece to examine applications and issue visas to members of the Olympic family.
Article 3 
Conditions A visa may be issued pursuant to this Regulation only where the person concerned: (a) has been designated by one of the responsible organisations and accredited by the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games as a participant in the 2004 Olympic or Paralympic Games; (b) holds a valid travel document authorising the crossing of the external borders, as referred to in Article 5 of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement of 14 June 1985, signed at Schengen on 19 June (hereinafter "the Schengen Convention"); (c) is not a person for whom an alert has been issued for the purposes of refusing entry; (d) is not considered to be a threat to public policy, national security or the international relations of any of the Member States. Article 4 Filing of the application 1. Where a responsible organisation draws up a list of the persons selected to take part in the 2004 Olympic or Paralympic Games, it may, together with the application for an Olympic accreditation card for the persons selected, file a collective application for visas for those persons selected who are required to be in possession of a visa in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 539/2001. 2. Collective applications for visas for the persons concerned shall be forwarded at the same time as applications for the issue of an Olympic accreditation card to the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games in accordance with the procedure established by it. 3. A single visa application per person shall be filed for persons taking part in the 2004 Olympic or Paralympic Games. 4. The Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games shall forward to the services responsible for issuing visas collective applications for visas as quickly as possible, together with copies of applications for the issue of an Olympic accreditation card for the persons concerned, bearing their full name, nationality, sex, date and place of birth, passport number, type and expiry date thereof. Article 5 Examination of the collective application for visas and type of the visa issued 1. The visa shall be issued by the services responsible for the issue of visas following an examination designed to ensure that the conditions set out in Article 3 are met. 2. The visa issued shall be a uniform short-stay, multiple-entry visa authorising a stay of not more than ninety (90) days for the duration of the Olympics Games and Paralympic Games. 3. Where the member of the Olympic family concerned does not meet the conditions set out in Article 3(c) and (d), the services responsible for issuing visas may issue a visa with limited territorial validity in conformity with Article 5(2) of the Schengen Convention. Article 6 Form of the visa 1. The visa shall take the form of two numbers being entered on the Olympic accreditation card. The first number shall be the visa number. In the case of a uniform visa, this number shall be made up of seven (7) characters comprising six (6) digits preceded by the letter "C". In the case of a visa with limited territorial validity, this number shall be made up of eight (8) characters comprising six (6) digits preceded by the letters "GR". The second number shall be the number of the passport of the person concerned. 2. The services responsible for issuing visas shall forward the visa numbers to the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games for the purposes of issuing accreditation cards. Article 7 Waiver of fees The processing of visa applications and the issue of visas shall not give rise to any fees being charged by the services responsible for issuing visas.
Article 4 
Filing of the application 1. Where a responsible organisation draws up a list of the persons selected to take part in the 2004 Olympic or Paralympic Games, it may, together with the application for an Olympic accreditation card for the persons selected, file a collective application for visas for those persons selected who are required to be in possession of a visa in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 539/2001. 2. Collective applications for visas for the persons concerned shall be forwarded at the same time as applications for the issue of an Olympic accreditation card to the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games in accordance with the procedure established by it. 3. A single visa application per person shall be filed for persons taking part in the 2004 Olympic or Paralympic Games. 4. The Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games shall forward to the services responsible for issuing visas collective applications for visas as quickly as possible, together with copies of applications for the issue of an Olympic accreditation card for the persons concerned, bearing their full name, nationality, sex, date and place of birth, passport number, type and expiry date thereof. Article 5 Examination of the collective application for visas and type of the visa issued 1. The visa shall be issued by the services responsible for the issue of visas following an examination designed to ensure that the conditions set out in Article 3 are met. 2. The visa issued shall be a uniform short-stay, multiple-entry visa authorising a stay of not more than ninety (90) days for the duration of the Olympics Games and Paralympic Games. 3. Where the member of the Olympic family concerned does not meet the conditions set out in Article 3(c) and (d), the services responsible for issuing visas may issue a visa with limited territorial validity in conformity with Article 5(2) of the Schengen Convention. Article 6 Form of the visa 1. The visa shall take the form of two numbers being entered on the Olympic accreditation card. The first number shall be the visa number. In the case of a uniform visa, this number shall be made up of seven (7) characters comprising six (6) digits preceded by the letter "C". In the case of a visa with limited territorial validity, this number shall be made up of eight (8) characters comprising six (6) digits preceded by the letters "GR". The second number shall be the number of the passport of the person concerned. 2. The services responsible for issuing visas shall forward the visa numbers to the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games for the purposes of issuing accreditation cards. Article 7 Waiver of fees The processing of visa applications and the issue of visas shall not give rise to any fees being charged by the services responsible for issuing visas.
Article 5 
Examination of the collective application for visas and type of the visa issued 1. The visa shall be issued by the services responsible for the issue of visas following an examination designed to ensure that the conditions set out in Article 3 are met. 2. The visa issued shall be a uniform short-stay, multiple-entry visa authorising a stay of not more than ninety (90) days for the duration of the Olympics Games and Paralympic Games. 3. Where the member of the Olympic family concerned does not meet the conditions set out in Article 3(c) and (d), the services responsible for issuing visas may issue a visa with limited territorial validity in conformity with Article 5(2) of the Schengen Convention. Article 6 Form of the visa 1. The visa shall take the form of two numbers being entered on the Olympic accreditation card. The first number shall be the visa number. In the case of a uniform visa, this number shall be made up of seven (7) characters comprising six (6) digits preceded by the letter "C". In the case of a visa with limited territorial validity, this number shall be made up of eight (8) characters comprising six (6) digits preceded by the letters "GR". The second number shall be the number of the passport of the person concerned. 2. The services responsible for issuing visas shall forward the visa numbers to the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games for the purposes of issuing accreditation cards. Article 7 Waiver of fees The processing of visa applications and the issue of visas shall not give rise to any fees being charged by the services responsible for issuing visas.
Article 6 
Form of the visa 1. The visa shall take the form of two numbers being entered on the Olympic accreditation card. The first number shall be the visa number. In the case of a uniform visa, this number shall be made up of seven (7) characters comprising six (6) digits preceded by the letter "C". In the case of a visa with limited territorial validity, this number shall be made up of eight (8) characters comprising six (6) digits preceded by the letters "GR". The second number shall be the number of the passport of the person concerned. 2. The services responsible for issuing visas shall forward the visa numbers to the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games for the purposes of issuing accreditation cards. Article 7 Waiver of fees The processing of visa applications and the issue of visas shall not give rise to any fees being charged by the services responsible for issuing visas.
Article 7 
Waiver of fees The processing of visa applications and the issue of visas shall not give rise to any fees being charged by the services responsible for issuing visas.
Article 8 
Cancellation of a visa Where the list of persons put forward as participants in the 2004 Olympic or Paralympic Games is amended before the Games begin, the responsible organisations shall without any delay inform the Organising Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games thereof so that the accreditation cards of the persons removed from the list can be revoked. The Organising Committee shall then inform the services responsible for issuing visas thereof, notifying the numbers of the visas in question. The services responsible for issuing visas shall cancel the visas of the persons concerned. They shall immediately inform the authorities responsible for border checks thereof, and the latter shall without any delay forward this information to the competent authorities of the other Member States. Article 9 External border checks 1. When crossing the external borders of the Member States, the entry checks carried out on members of the Olympic family who have been issued visas in accordance with this Regulation shall be limited to verifying compliance with the conditions set out in Article 3. 2. For the duration of the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games: (a) entry and exit stamps shall be affixed to the first free page of the passport of those members of the Olympic family for whom it is necessary to affix such stamps. Upon first entry the visa number shall be indicated on this same page; (b) the conditions for entry provided for in Article 5(1)(c) of the Schengen Convention shall be presumed to be fulfilled once a member of the Olympic family has been duly accredited. 3. The provisions of paragraph 2 shall apply to members of the Olympic family who are third-country nationals, whether or not they are subject to the visa requirement under Regulation (EC) No 539/2001. Article 10 Information for the European Parliament and the Council Not later than four months after the close of the Paralympic Games, Greece shall transmit to the Commission a report on the various aspects of the implementation of this Regulation. On the basis of this report and any information supplied by other Member States within the same time limit, the Commission shall draw up an assessment of the functioning of the derogation in respect of the issue of visas to members of the Olympic family, as provided for by this Regulation, and shall inform the European Parliament and the Council thereof. The Commission shall draw up this evaluation report early enough for the experience made during the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Athens to be taken into account by the Italian authorities for the organisation of the Winter Olympic Games which will be held in Turin in 2006. Article 11 Entry into force This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in the Member States in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community. Done at Brussels, 15 July 2003. For the Council The President G. Tremonti (1) Proposal of 8 April 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (2) Opinion of 19 June 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (3) OJ L 81, 21.3.2001, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 453/2003 (OJ L 69, 13.3.2003, p. 10). (4) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 36. (5) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 31. (6) OJ L 131, 1.6.2000, p. 43. (7) OJ L 64, 7.3.2002, p. 20.
Article 9 
External border checks 1. When crossing the external borders of the Member States, the entry checks carried out on members of the Olympic family who have been issued visas in accordance with this Regulation shall be limited to verifying compliance with the conditions set out in Article 3. 2. For the duration of the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games: (a) entry and exit stamps shall be affixed to the first free page of the passport of those members of the Olympic family for whom it is necessary to affix such stamps. Upon first entry the visa number shall be indicated on this same page; (b) the conditions for entry provided for in Article 5(1)(c) of the Schengen Convention shall be presumed to be fulfilled once a member of the Olympic family has been duly accredited. 3. The provisions of paragraph 2 shall apply to members of the Olympic family who are third-country nationals, whether or not they are subject to the visa requirement under Regulation (EC) No 539/2001. Article 10 Information for the European Parliament and the Council Not later than four months after the close of the Paralympic Games, Greece shall transmit to the Commission a report on the various aspects of the implementation of this Regulation. On the basis of this report and any information supplied by other Member States within the same time limit, the Commission shall draw up an assessment of the functioning of the derogation in respect of the issue of visas to members of the Olympic family, as provided for by this Regulation, and shall inform the European Parliament and the Council thereof. The Commission shall draw up this evaluation report early enough for the experience made during the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Athens to be taken into account by the Italian authorities for the organisation of the Winter Olympic Games which will be held in Turin in 2006. Article 11 Entry into force This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in the Member States in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community. Done at Brussels, 15 July 2003. For the Council The President G. Tremonti (1) Proposal of 8 April 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (2) Opinion of 19 June 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (3) OJ L 81, 21.3.2001, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 453/2003 (OJ L 69, 13.3.2003, p. 10). (4) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 36. (5) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 31. (6) OJ L 131, 1.6.2000, p. 43. (7) OJ L 64, 7.3.2002, p. 20.
Article 10 
Information for the European Parliament and the Council Not later than four months after the close of the Paralympic Games, Greece shall transmit to the Commission a report on the various aspects of the implementation of this Regulation. On the basis of this report and any information supplied by other Member States within the same time limit, the Commission shall draw up an assessment of the functioning of the derogation in respect of the issue of visas to members of the Olympic family, as provided for by this Regulation, and shall inform the European Parliament and the Council thereof. The Commission shall draw up this evaluation report early enough for the experience made during the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Athens to be taken into account by the Italian authorities for the organisation of the Winter Olympic Games which will be held in Turin in 2006. Article 11 Entry into force This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in the Member States in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community. Done at Brussels, 15 July 2003. For the Council The President G. Tremonti (1) Proposal of 8 April 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (2) Opinion of 19 June 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (3) OJ L 81, 21.3.2001, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 453/2003 (OJ L 69, 13.3.2003, p. 10). (4) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 36. (5) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 31. (6) OJ L 131, 1.6.2000, p. 43. (7) OJ L 64, 7.3.2002, p. 20.
Article 11 
Entry into force This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in the Member States in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community. Done at Brussels, 15 July 2003