Article 2 — Definitions

For the purposes of this Directive, the following definitions apply: (1) elections to the European Parliament means elections by direct universal suffrage to the European Parliament of representatives in accordance with the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, annexed to Council Decision 76/787/ECSC, EEC, Euratom of 20 September 1976 (the Electoral Act); (2) electoral territory means the territory of a Member State in which, in accordance with the Electoral Act and, within that framework, in accordance with the electoral law of that Member State, members of the European Parliament are elected by the people of that Member State; (3) Member State of residence means a Member State in which a Union citizen resides but of which the Union citizen is not a national; (4) home Member State means the Member State of which a Union citizen is a national; (5) Union voter means any Union citizen who is entitled to vote in elections to the European Parliament in the Member State of residence in accordance with this Directive; (6) Union citizen entitled to stand as a candidate means any Union citizen who has the right to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament in the Member State of residence in accordance with this Directive; (7) electoral roll means the official register of all voters entitled to vote in a given constituency or locality, drawn up and kept up to date by the competent authority under the electoral law of the Member State of residence, or the population register if it indicates eligibility to vote; (8) reference date means the day or the days as of which Union citizens have to satisfy, under the law of the Member State of residence, the requirements for voting or for standing as a candidate in that State; (9) formal declaration means a declaration by the person concerned, inaccuracy in which makes that person liable to penalties, in accordance with the applicable national law.