22.7.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 183/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1295/2003 of 15 July 2003 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 in Athens THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, and in particular Article 62(2)(a) and (b)(ii) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (!), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (), Whereas: 4 The Olympic Charter envisages for members of the Olympic family a ‘right of entry’ to the country of the city hosting the Olympic Games, on presentation of the Olympic accreditation card and their passport or other official travel document, without having to go through any procedures and formalities other than those relating to the accreditation card. The organisations responsible select and propose the persons who may participate in the Olympic or Paral- ympic Games as members of the Olympic family, in accordance with the accreditation procedure laid down by the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games. The Organising Committee of the Olympic Games issues accreditation cards to members of the Olympic family in view of the fact that the Games may be the target of terrorist attacks. The accreditation card is a highly secure document, which gives access to the specific sites where competitions are held and to other events planned during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Greece is organising the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Athens, this being the first time that such an (") Proposal of 8 April 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (¥) Opinion of 19 June 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal). event has been organised by a Member State applying in full the provisions of the Schengen acquis. To enable Greece to organise the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games and in view of the obligations arising from the Olympic Charter, the Community should estab- lish legislation facilitating the issue of visas to members of the Olympic family. There is therefore a need to provide for a temporary derogation for the duration of the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games for members of the Olympic family who are nationals of third countries subject to the visa requirement under Council Regulation (EC) No 539/ 2001 of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement (°). The scope of this derogation should be limited to the provisions of the acquis concerning the submission of visa applications, the issuing of visas and their format. Equally, the methods of controlling the external borders should be adapted within the limits necessary to take into account changes in the visa system. Visa applications for members of the Olympic family taking part in the 2004 Olympic or Paralympic Games should be submitted to the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games via the organisations responsible, at the same time as the application for accreditation. The accreditation application form shall contain basic data relating to the persons concerned, such as their full name, sex, date and place of birth and passport number, type and expiry date thereof. These applications shall be forwarded to the Greek services responsible for issuing visas. () OJ L 81, 21.3.2001, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 4532003 (O] L 69, 13.3.2003, p. 10).