Conference of the Parties Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on a Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products Fourth session Geneva, Switzerland, 14–21 March 2010
FCTC/COP/INB-IT/4/DIV/2 4 January 2010
Guide for participants in the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body The fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on a Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products will be held at the International Conference Centre Geneva, 15 rue de Varembé, 1211 Geneva 20, in Conference Room 1. It will open at 15:00 on Sunday, 14 March 2010 and the session is expected to close on Sunday, 21 March 2010 no later than 13:00. Regional consultations will be held on the morning of Sunday, 14 March 2010.
CREDENTIALS Delegates are reminded that credentials are required. In accordance with Rule 18 of the Rules of Procedure of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, they shall be issued by the Head of State or Government, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Health or any other appropriate government authority. In the case of a regional economic integration organization, credentials shall be issued by the competent authority of that organization. Original credentials should be addressed to the Convention Secretariat. They should be submitted as early as feasible and, if possible, not later than 24 hours after the opening of the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body. However, to ensure timely processing, it would be appreciated if an advance signed copy of credentials could be sent to the Convention Secretariat by 1 March 2010, by fax to +41 (0)22 791 58 30 or by e-mail to inbfctc@who.int. Parties eligible for travel support (see Annex 1) are kindly requested to submit to the Convention Secretariat their credentials – in original form or advance signed copy – by 10 February 2010 to allow timely processing of travel arrangements. Travel arrangements for eligible Parties will be processed only on the basis of valid credentials received by the Convention Secretariat.
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VISAS Attention is drawn to the strict provisions in force regarding entry into Switzerland, whose authorities refuse entry to people who do not have the required entry visa. Since 12 December 2008, Switzerland has applied the Schengen Agreement regulations concerning visas. As a result, participants requiring a visa to enter Switzerland must obtain a Schengen visa from the Swiss embassy or consulate in, or nearest to, their country of residence; it cannot be obtained from the embassy of another Schengen country. Delivery of a Schengen visa takes between 7 and 21 days, so any visa application should be lodged well in advance of the expected date of travel. It is recommended that participants apply for a Schengen visa Type C, which entitles the holder to visit or transit other Schengen countries including neighbouring France. Applicants for a Schengen visa must attach a support letter to their application. Requests for a visa support letter must be addressed to inbfctc@who.int as soon as possible and include the name of the applicant, function/title, nationality, and passport number and details (date and place of issue and validity). Participants should note that any visa application made in several different places will be rejected. A Schengen visa cannot be obtained upon arrival in Geneva.
ACCESS TO THE CONFERENCE CENTRE By bus: Bus number 5 runs from Place Cornavin (railway station) to rue de Vermont. Get off at the stop named “Vermont” and cross the road. Rue de Varembé is the first turning on the left. Walk to the far end of the road to reach the main entrance of the Conference Centre. Also from Place Cornavin, you can take bus number 8 and get off at “UIT”. Walk back to the traffic roundabout and turn left into Chemin Louis Dunant. The entrance to the International Conference Centre is a short distance along this road, on the left. Tickets must be purchased before entering buses. Individual tickets are available from vending machines at main bus stops, while an electronic card for multiple trips may be purchased from newsagents in town bearing a sign reading “TPG” or at the railway station (Cornavin). Most hotels in Geneva will provide, on request, a public transport pass free of charge for the duration of your booking. Geneva International Airport offers a free ticket for 80 minutes of public transport in Geneva (including train service from the airport to the main railway station). This Unireso ticket can be obtained from the machine in the baggage collection area at the “Arrivals” level. By tram: Trams 13 and 15 can be taken from Place Cornavin to Place des Nations. After getting off at Place des Nations, walk towards the UNHCR building and take the first right into rue de Varembé. By car: The car park in Place des Nations, with 1200 places, is only one minute’s walk from the Conference Centre. By taxi: There are taxi ranks on most main squares in Geneva and outside the Conference Centre. Taxis can be called by telephone at the following numbers: 022 331 41 33, 022 320 20 20 and 022 320 22 02.
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Shuttle bus between WHO and the Conference Centre A shuttle bus will run continuously between WHO and the Conference Centre from Sunday, 14 March to Sunday, 21 March 2010, between 07:30 and 22:00. It will leave from the main entrance of the Conference Centre and go directly to WHO. Smoking is not permitted at the Conference Centre or in any WHO building.
REGISTRATION Delegates and other participants will be able to register and receive their badge before the opening of the session. The registration desk will be open: In the main lobby of WHO headquarters – on Friday 12 March 2010: At the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG) – from Sunday 14 March to Saturday 20 March 2010: – on Sunday 21 March 2010: 08:00–18:00 09:00–13:00 13:00–17:00
Delegations whose credentials have not been communicated to the Convention Secretariat before the opening of the session should deposit them at the registration desk. Please note that only those individuals whose names appear on a valid credential will be issued with a badge. Access to the Conference Centre and to the meeting rooms will be restricted to persons wearing badges. Contracting Parties will be seated in English alphabetical order at seats displaying their respective country nameplates. States with observer status and other participants will be accommodated in other reserved areas in the room.
WORKING HOURS The following working hours are expected, although they are subject to confirmation by the session: Sunday 14 March 2010 10:00–13:00 Regional consultations (African Region, Region of the Americas, South-East Asia Region, European Region, Eastern Mediterranean Region and Western Pacific Region) First plenary session
15:00–18:00
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Monday to Sunday (15 March–21 March 2010) 09:00–09:50 Regional consultations (African Region, Region of the Americas, South-East Asia Region, European Region, Eastern Mediterranean Region and Western Pacific Region) Plenary session or committees Plenary session or committees
10:00–13:00 15:00–18:00
Subject to progress of work and decision of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body, evening meetings may be arranged, starting from 15 March 2010.
TRAVEL, HOTEL ARRANGEMENTS AND INSURANCE To facilitate the participation of Parties from low- and lower-middle-income countries (Annex 1), the Convention Secretariat will be able to support the cost of travel (economy fare by the most direct route and payment of a per diem for one representative designated by the Party). Participants should note that travel arrangements will be processed by the Convention Secretariat only on receipt of valid credentials, in original form or as an advance signed copy. To facilitate timely travel arrangements, Parties eligible for travel support are requested to communicate their credentials to the Convention Secretariat if possible by 10 February 2010. Participants wishing to change or confirm their flights during the conference are advised to do so in town, as there is no travel office at the Conference Centre. American Express has a branch at WHO headquarters. Major airlines have offices in the vicinity of Cornavin railway station, in rue de Mont Blanc and in rue de Chantepoulet. A limited number of rooms in selected hotels (see Annex 2) have been pre-booked by the Convention Secretariat. Participants who wish to reserve rooms in these hotels are requested to contact the hotels directly as soon as possible, with the booking reference “Meeting INB4”. Bookings will be made on a first-come, first-served basis. The Secretariat cannot guarantee the availability of rooms after the deadline indicated in the Annex. Participants may also wish to consult the list of hotels with rooms at UN preferential rates which is available at the following web site: http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/Hotel/HotelRoomsFCTC.pdf. Participants should note that the Convention Secretariat cannot be held liable for any claim resulting from death, injury, sickness or other disability in connection with their participation in the session. Participants are therefore responsible for making their own insurance arrangements as necessary.
DISTRIBUTION OF DOCUMENTS The documents for the session will be dispatched to the Parties and observers at the latest 60 days before the opening of the session. In addition, delegates may collect documents produced before and during the meetings from the documentation desk at the Conference Centre. Documents may also be accessed on the Internet at http://www.who.int/fctc/inb in the six official languages of the
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Conference of the Parties. The only distribution of documents considered official is the distribution of documents through the documentation desk. The Convention Secretariat regrets that it cannot dispatch documents home on behalf of participants at the conclusion of the session.
COMMUNICATION FACILITIES Cybercafé: Internet booths are available at the Conference Centre for Internet, e-mail and word processing. The Conference Centre is fully equipped with a wireless fidelity (WI-FI) system. Post office: There is a post office at the Conference Centre that provides full postal, telegraph and facsimile facilities. It is open from 08:30 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday. Local, intercity and international calls can be made from the post office, the charge being payable to the post office clerk on completion of the call.
BANK A branch of UBS is located across the road from the main entrance of the Conference Centre. The address is Chemin Louis-Dunant 17bis, Vermont-Nations, 1202 Genève. It is open between 08:30 and 16:30, Monday to Friday. Automated teller machines are also available.
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS WHO Conference Centre Convention Secretariat 022 791 21 11 022 791 91 11 022 791 5484/2713/5043
A telephone directory with the names and functions of the staff serving the meeting will be available at the documentation desk.
REFRESHMENT FACILITIES At the Conference Centre, the self-service restaurant is located on the first floor; seats cannot be reserved. The opening hours are 11:45–14:00 daily. The Bar Léman on the ground floor serves hot and cold snacks. The opening hours are 08:00–18:00 daily. At WHO, the self-service cafeteria is on the ground floor. It is open from 08:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday; hot meals are served between 11:30 and 14:00. The restaurant Le Crystal is located on the ground floor; tables must be reserved. It is open from 11:30 to 14:00 Monday to Friday, for reservations, call 022 791 40 13. The Ritazza Café on the ground floor is open from 08:00 to 16:30, Monday to Friday and serves refreshments and sandwiches.
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MEDICAL FACILITIES A nurse will be on duty during the sessions at the infirmary of the Conference Centre, situated on Level 1. A nurse will also be on duty throughout the session in the Medical Services Office of the Conference Centre for simple treatment and injections, including injections of prescribed drugs, upon presentation of a valid medical prescription. Participants requiring urgent medical attention away from the Conference Centre are advised to contact the Service d’urgence de l’Association des Médecins de Genève (the Geneva emergency medical service), telephone 022 320 25 11.
FACILITIES FOR DISABLED PERSONS One central lift is situated on each floor. On the ground floor, the lift is near the main entrance and the registration area. Toilets for disabled persons are available on each floor. There are access ramps leading to rooms 2, 3 and 4.
PARKING FACILITIES See “Access to the Conference Centre”, above.
PERSONAL SECURITY Although Geneva is a fairly safe city, incidents, including robberies and assaults, are becoming common. Particpants are advised to take precautions when moving around the city, with the following guidelines: • stay alert; watch your luggage and briefcase; • avoid walking alone at night; keep to well-lit areas; • beware of individuals posing as police; always ask for proper identification before surrendering your passport or complying with any requests; • be particularly vigilant at the airport, the train station and when checking into your hotel; • note the following telephone numbers: – Police: – Fire brigade: – Ambulance: – Traffic police: 117 118 144 140
Take the utmost precautions with all personal property. WHO cannot be held responsible for the loss of personal objects left unattended at meetings.
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ANNEX 1 PARTIES ELIGIBLE FOR TRAVEL SUPPORT Albania Angola Armenia Azerbaijan Bangladesh Benin Bhutan Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad China Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Democratic Republic of the Congo Djibouti Ecuador Egypt Gambia Georgia Ghana Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Honduras India Iran (Islamic Republic of) Iraq Jordan Kenya Kiribati Kyrgyzstan Lao People’s Democratic Republic Lesotho Madagascar Maldives Mali Marshall Islands Mauritania Micronesia (Federated States of) Mongolia Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Pakistan Papua New Guinea Paraguay Philippines Republic of Moldova Rwanda Samoa Sao Tome and Principe Senegal Sierra Leone Solomon Islands Sri Lanka Sudan Swaziland Syrian Arab Republic Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Republic of Tanzania Vanuatu Viet Nam Yemen Zambia
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ANNEX 2 LIST OF HOTELS The rates for a standard category single room are shown at preferential United Nations rates. Participants should contact the hotels directly to make individual bookings and should cite the reference “Meeting INB4”. Changes or cancellations should be communicated directly by participants to the hotel. Participants should settle their bill directly with the hotel. Participants may also wish to consult the full list of hotels at preferential United Nations rates, available on www.who.int/fctc/inb. The Convention Secretariat cannot guarantee the availability of rooms after the deadline indicated below. Participants should also verify the cancellation policy with each hotel when making their individual booking. Hotel contact 7, rue Butini CH-1202 Genève Tel: +41 (0)22 716 48 48 Fax: +41 (0)22 738 00 07 www.hdlge.ch E-mail: reservation@hdgle.ch 131, rue de Lausanne 1202 Genève Tel: +41 (0)22 909 39 09 Fax: +41 (0)22 909 39 93 www.hmrge.ch E-mail: reservations@hmrge.ch 10, Place de Cornavin CH-1201 Genève Tel: +41 (0)22 732 66 30 Fax: +41 (0)22 732 62 39 www.hotel-suisse.ch E-mail: reservation@hotel-suisse.ch 55, rue Rothschild CH-1202 Genève Tel. +41 (0)22 544 38 38 Fax +41 (0)22 544 38 99 www.manotel.com/fr/jade/index.php E-mail: jade@manotel.com Rue du Grand-Pré 35 1202 Genève Tel: +41 (0)22 918 11 11 Fax: +41 (0)22 731 16 89 http://www.grandpre.ch/ E-mail: info@grandpre.ch = = = 8
Room rate (CHF) 158.00
Deadline 2 February 2010
Hotel Drake & Longchamp (***)
167.00
15 February 2010
Hotel Mon Repos (***)
175.00
15 February 2010
Hotel Suisse (***)
220.00
15 February 2010
Hotel Jade (***)
186.00
15 February 2010
Hotel Grand-Pré (****)