third country
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third country
A state that is not a member of a particular community of states. In the European context, the term refers to a country that is a member of neither the European Union (EU) nor the European Economic Area (EEA).
Für die Einreise aus einem Drittstaat gelten besondere Visabestimmungen.
Special visa regulations apply to entry from a third country.
The word consists of 'Dritt-' (from 'dritte', third) and 'Staat' (state/country). Here, 'Dritt-' does not mean 'number three', but rather 'external' or 'not belonging'. A third country is therefore a state that stands outside a particular group or treaty.
Die Schweiz ist für die EU ein wichtiger Drittstaat.
Switzerland is an important third country for the EU.
'Drittstaat' (third country) is a term from the specialized language of politics, law, and administration. It is rarely used in everyday speech. Most often, it refers to countries that are not members of the European Union (EU).
Die Verordnung regelt den Warenverkehr mit Drittstaaten.
The regulation governs trade in goods with third countries.
Common combinations are 'Einreise aus einem Drittstaat' (entry from a third country), 'Abkommen mit Drittstaaten' (agreements with third countries), or 'Bürger eines Drittstaats' (citizen of a third country). A person from a third country is also called a 'Drittstaatsangehöriger' (third-country national).
Für Arbeitskräfte aus Drittstaaten gibt es spezielle Regelungen.
There are special regulations for workers from third countries.
abroad
'das Ausland' and 'der Drittstaat' both refer to countries outside a certain area. 'das Ausland' is general and used in everyday language: it means all countries outside one's own country or outside the country where one currently is. 'der Drittstaat' is a legal or political term. It means a country that does not belong to a particular community of states, for example not to the EU or the EEA. Learners may confuse the words because a third country is often also abroad. But not every foreign country is automatically a third country. For travel and everyday life, 'Ausland' fits; for rules, visas, or authorities, 'Drittstaat' is more precise.
Für die Einreise aus einem Drittstaat gelten oft besondere Regeln.
Special rules often apply to entry from a third country.
Im Sommer möchte ich für drei Wochen ins Ausland reisen.
In the summer, I would like to travel abroad for three weeks.