For the purposes of this Directive, the definitions given in Article 2 of Directive 90/426/EEC shall apply as and where necessary.

However, holding means holding within the meaning of Directive 90/426/EEC and nature reserves in which equidae live in freedom.

Furthermore:

1. (a)

   owner or keeper means any natural or legal person(s) having ownership of the equidae or charged with their keep, whether or not for finanical reward;

2. (b)

   vector means an insect of the imicola Culicoides species or any other Culicoides insect liable to transmit African horse sickness, identifiable under the procedure provided for in Article 19, following the opinion of the Scientific Veterinary Committee;

3. (c)

   confirmation means the declaration, by the competent authority, of the presence of African horse sickness, based on laboratory results; however, in the event of an epidemic the competent authority may also confirm the disease on the basis of clinical and/or epidemiological results;

4. (d)

   competent authority means the central authority of a Member State responsible for carrying out veterinary checks or any veterinary authority to which it has delegated that responsibility;

5. (e)

   official veterinarian means the veterinarian appointed by the competent authority.