Also, in MtG, a copy of a spell is still a spell (and thus can be the target of counterspell.) It's not a CARD though.
Spell
A nonland card becomes a spell when it's put on the stack and remains a spell until it's countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. A copy of a spell is also a spell, even if it has no card associated with it. See rule 213, "Spells," and rule 401, "Spells on the Stack."
It'd be nice if you knew the rules of the system you are comparing to