Information for participants for the face-to-face segment of the meetings

Venue of the meetings

The fifteenth meeting Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention, the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention and the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention are being held back-to-back in two segments. An online segment of the meetings was held from 26 to 30 July 2021.  A face-to-face segment of the meetings will be held from 6 to 17 June 2022, at the following venue:

Centre International de Conférences Genève (CICG)
17, rue de Varembé
CH-1211 Geneva 20
Switzerland
Tel.: + 41 (0) 22 791 91 11
Internet: www.cicg.ch

Registration

On-site registration will open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, 5 June 2022, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, 6 June 2022, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the remaining days of the meetings. Security checks will be carried out at the conference centre each time you enter the venue. Please note that owing to the high number of participants expected, we strongly recommend that you register on Sunday or as early as possible.

Security identification documentation and badges for meeting participants

Security identification badges are issued to participants upon arrival at the meetings and upon completion of the relevant registration procedure. Meeting participants may collect their security identification badges at the registration desks upon presentation of one of the following identification documents issued by a government recognized by the United Nations:

  1. Valid national passport;
  2. Valid picture identification card, in Latin alphabets;
  3. Valid picture “residency” card, in Latin alphabets; or
  4. Valid picture drivers licence, in Latin alphabets.

Schedule of the meetings

On Sunday, 5 June 2022, preparatory meetings, including regional and bureaux meetings, will be held. Information on the preparatory meetings will be announced on the meeting website in due time.  

The meetings will be opened on Monday, 6 June 2022, at 10 a.m. Further information on the schedule of work for the face-to-face segment of the meetings is provided in document UNEP/CHW.15/INF/2/Rev.1 - UNEP/FAO/RC/COP.10/INF/2/Rev.1 - UNEP/POPS/COP.10/INF/2/Rev.1.

Delegates wishing to attend only specific sessions of the meetings should keep in mind that the order and timing of sessions may change, depending on decisions made by the bureaux of the conferences of the Parties and on the time required for discussion. Delegates are invited to take this into consideration when making their travel arrangements.

Financial support for the participation of developing-country Parties and Parties that are countries with economies in transition

Financial support for the participation of developing-country Parties and Parties that are countries with economies in transition in the face-to-face segment of the meetings of the conferences of the Parties is provided thanks to the generous financial support provided by the Governments of China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

COVID-19 rules for entry into Switzerland

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic situation in Switzerland as well as globally, we would like to highlight the following information for travelling to Switzerland.

Travel restrictions put in place to address the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic are subject to change. We recommend to the participants designated to attend the meetings to consult the following websites to verify which requirements apply to their entry to Switzerland:

Travellers are furthermore invited to familiarize themselves with the requirements for re-entry into their country of origin. More information on the COVID-19 situation in Switzerland is available at: https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home.html (Federal Office of Public Health’s website).

In case of transit through another country, it is the traveller’s responsibility to check the other countries’ immigration regulations in light of the current health crisis. The following website provides information on the crossing of the borders of other Schengen States: https://reopen.europa.eu/en/. The Secretariat is not in a position to bear the costs of quarantine in Switzerland nor in the travellers’ home countries upon return, nor the costs of testing, nor is able to arrange for vaccination of participants.

Online participation in the face-to-face segment of the meetings

During their joint meeting held on 6 May 2022, the bureaux of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions agreed that online participation would be allowed in the face-to-face segment of the meetings of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, taking due considerations of reported cases of COVID-19 travel and venue-related restrictions in some countries.

According to that agreement, online participation is allowed, upon request to the Secretariat by a Party or an observer, in the following two instances:

  • Registered delegates of a Party or observer organization face COVID-19 restrictions that prevent any representative of the Party or organization to attend the meetings in person;
  • A registered delegate of a Party or observer tests positive for COVID-19 upon departure, arrival or during the COPs and is thus prevented from entering the venue; and he or she is the only delegate from that particular Party or observer present in the meetings.

In addition, the bureaux agreed at their joint meeting that all other meeting participants will be provided with an online access to view the meetings, meaning that only members of their delegation participating in the meetings in person would exercise the right, as appropriate, to seek the floor, make a proposal or a motion, raise a point of order and participate in decision-making.

COVID-19 measures at the meeting venue

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, a suite of precautionary and hygiene measures are put in place at the meeting venue, in accordance with the requirements of the United Nations, and thanks to the generous financial support of the Government of Switzerland.

Participants are requested to observe the following safety and health measures:

  1. Prior to coming to the meeting venue:
    1. Take a daily rapid antigen self-test before entering the premises;
    2. Refrain from coming to the venue and inform the Secretariat, in case of any cold- or flu-like symptoms;
  2. At the meeting venue:
    1. Mandatory wearing of face masks in all indoor areas of the venue, except when taking the floor to speak or when drinking/eating;
    2. Follow strict hand hygiene measures and COVID-19 precautionary instructions as per signage.

A kit with self-tests and masks will be distributed to all meeting participants upon registration.

A testing tent will be available outside of the meeting venue for participants who need to take a rapid antigen test or a PCR test, e.g. if this is a requirement for their return travel.

The Secretariat strongly recommends that all participants in the meetings be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Please consult the Note on COVID-19 prevention and risk mitigation measures (updated 3 June 2022) for the details of the measures being put in place.

Credentials (for representatives of Parties to the conventions)

Parties are invited to transmit credentials for their registered representatives. As indicated in the invitation letter dated 7 May 2021, credentials could be issued either only for the online segment of the meetings of the conferences of the Parties or for both the online and the face-to-face segment of the meetings of the conferences of the Parties. In the former case, your Government is hereby invited to transmit credentials of its representatives to attend the face-to-face segment of the meetings. In the latter case, your Government has the possibility to issue new or update the credentials of its representatives for the face-to-face segment of the meetings of the conferences of the Parties. In doing so, please bear in mind the decisions of the conferences of the Parties during the online segment of their meetings regarding any previously transmitted credentials.

In accordance with rule 18 of the rules of procedure for the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention, rule 19 of the rules of procedure for the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention and rule 19 of the rules of procedure for the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention, Parties must submit the credentials of the representatives, as well as the names of the alternate representatives and advisers, who will constitute the delegation for your State or regional economic integration organization to the meetings of those of the three conventions to which their State or regional economic integration organization is a Party. A model form of credentials is available below in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

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Model form of credentials

In accordance with the respective rules of procedure, credentials must be issued by the head of State or Government, by the Minister for Foreign Affairs or, in the case of a regional economic integration organization, by the competent authority of that organization. Information regarding any change in the composition of the delegation should be submitted using the same procedure.  Moreover, credentials shall be submitted if possible, no later than 24 hours after the resumption of the opening of the meetings (therefore by 10 am on Tuesday, 7 June 2022).

The Secretariat invites Parties to submit any electronic copy of credentials in advance of the meetings preferably by Friday, 13 May 2022, as doing so will greatly facilitate the clearance process. The Secretariat invites Parties to hand over any original credentials at the meeting venue itself no later than Tuesday, 7 June 2022, by 10 am.

The bureaux of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions agreed on the approach they will follow when preparing the reports on credentials for the meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions in 2021 and 2022. The bureaux agreed that when examining credentials received, they would accept original credentials in good order as well as copies of credentials in good order with the understanding that the original will be submitted as soon as possible. Please also note that, pursuant to the tentative schedule for the meetings, each Bureau would present to the respective Conference of the Parties its report on the examination of credentials on Friday afternoon 10 June 2022 and possibly on Thursday afternoon 16 June 2022.

High-level segment

As decided by the conferences of the Parties at their previous meetings by decisions BC-14/27, RC-9/15 and SC-9/25, the meetings will feature a high-level segment. The high-level segment will be held on 1 June 2022 in Stockholm, Sweden, in connection with the Stockholm+50 high-level international meeting (2-3 June 2022). Further information on the arrangements is available on the high-level segment webpage and is set out in document UNEP/CHW.15/INF/73 - UNEP/FAO/RC/COP.10/INF/22 - UNEP/POPS/COP.10/INF/74.

Guidelines for rules of conduct for meeting participants

The attention of meeting participants is drawn to the following guidelines for rules of conduct developed by the Secretariat and available on the meetings’ website:

  1. Guidelines on the use of cameras and audio/video recording devices by participants at meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions (BRS) and their subsidiary bodies;
  2. Guidelines for the participation of representatives of observers at meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions (BRS) and their subsidiary bodies;
  3. Guidelines on preventing and addressing all forms of harassment at meetings of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions.

Side events

Requests for side events should be sent, by duly completing the dedicated request form, no later than 22 April 2022 to Mr. Felix Mailly at the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions at the following e-mail address: felix.mailly@un.org.

Up to two side events can be held in parallel during lunch breaks and in the evenings following the plenary sessions. If more requests for side events are received than there are slots available, organizers of side events may be invited to organize joint events.  A draft schedule of side events is published on the meetings’ website prior to the meetings. For detailed information on side events, including the request form, please consult the side events website.

Plastics Forum

A plastics forum to promote solutions to plastics will be held from 8 to 10 June 2022. Expressions of interest to participate should be sent no later than 18 May 2022 to Ms. Madhushree Sivaraja at the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions at the following e-mail address: madhushree.sivaraja@un.org.

For detailed information on the plastics forum, please consult the forum webpage.

Exhibitions and promotional material

A limited maximum of exhibition booths will be made available for interested partners to showcase their activities during the face-to-face segment of the COPs. Requests for exhibitions should be sent no later than 30 April 2022 to Ms. Madhushree Sivaraja at the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions at the following e-mail address: madhushree.sivaraja@un.org.

Promotional or exhibition materials may be sent directly to the conference centre from 30 May 2022 to the following address:

c/o. Ms. Marina Bartolomei
Project Manager
2022 BRS COPs
Centre International de Conférences Genève (CICG)
17, rue de Varembé
CH-1211 Geneva 20
Switzerland
Tel.: + 41 (0) 22 791 90 63
Email: m.bartolomei@cicg.ch   

Promoting sustainability in the preparation and conduct of BRS meetings

Since 2012, the Secretariat has put in place practical measures to promote sustainability in the preparation and conduct of BRS meetings. This has included participation in the United Nations Climate Neutral Strategy and the achievement of climate neutrality since 2012. Under this framework, the Secretariat has taken steps to make the 2022 face-to-face segment of the COPs climate neutral by offsetting any unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions, in particular from the travel of sponsored participants. Delegates who organize their own travel to and from Geneva are encouraged to offset their travel emissions online. Further information on how to offset travel emissions is available at: https://www.brsmeas.org/?tabid=9139.

In addition, the Geneva International Conference Centre has adopted several other measures to reduce its environmental footprint by reducing its energy and water consumption, and waste production. The use of plastic in take-out containers, sandwich bags, cutlery and cups will be minimized and replaced by alternative packaging using Polyactic Acid and other biodegradable/compostable materials. Participants and delegates are strongly encouraged to bring reusable drinking containers (mugs, bottles) and use them at the cafeteria and water fountains located throughout the venue.

Further information on the Secretariat’s efforts for greening the meetings of the conferences of the Parties is available at https://www.brsmeas.org/?tabid=9139

Paperless meeting

The meetings will be paperless and printed documents will not be available at the meetings. Pre-session documents will be made available on the meetings’ website and in-session documents (such as conference room papers) will be available electronically via wireless intranet or memory stick only.

Making a meeting paperless considerably reduces the cost and carbon footprint of the meeting. A paperless meeting also makes it easier for participants to locate documents and allows for faster preparation and distribution of conference room papers.

To facilitate the paperless nature of the meetings, participants are requested to ensure the following:

  1. Each participant should bring a laptop computer containing basic applications, including Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat Reader and updated antivirus software.
  2. Laptops should be pre-checked for viruses and confirmed as virus-free prior to arrival at the meetings. Virus free laptops are crucial to the success of a paperless meeting.
  3. Participants should bring a memory stick that has been pre-checked for viruses for the purpose of transferring documents.
  4. Laptops should be configured for a standard wireless (Wi-Fi) connection. If in doubt, please check with your local information technology expert.
  5. Participants should bring an appropriate adaptor to enable laptops to be connected to Swiss power sockets.
  6. When completing the registration form of the meetings, participants should include a current e-mail address, so that they can be sent correspondence relating to the meetings.

Visa

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic situation in Switzerland as well as globally, conditions for entry into Switzerland may change. It is the responsibility of each participant to apply for the required visa. Visas must be obtained prior to arrival.

Please note that a Schengen visa is required even for transiting through Schengen zone European Countries.  The time needed for a request for visa to be processed may vary from case to case.  It is therefore strongly recommended that visa applications be made with sufficient time in advance, so that a Schengen visa can be issued.

More information is available on the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs at the following links:

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/entry-switzerland-residence.html;
https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/themen/einreise/merkblatt_einreise.htm;
https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/representations-and-travel-advice.html.

Medical and travel insurance

The United Nations does not cover life or medical insurance for participants. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the participant or that of your Government to ensure adequate insurance coverage prior to travelling to Switzerland. We recommend including COVID-19 related insurance to help cover your expenses in case you will be required to quarantine and/or receive medical treatment. The Secretariat would not be in position to bear the costs of quarantine in Switzerland nor in the travellers’ home countries upon return, nor the costs of testing, nor be able to arrange for vaccination of participants.

Accommodation

It is the responsibility of participants to make their own arrangements for accommodation. The Secretariat encourages all participants to make such arrangements at the earliest possible opportunity.

An updated list of hotels offering preferential rates to the United Nations is made available here.

Local transportation and security

Once in Geneva, reaching the conference centre is simple. The international airport (Geneva Cointrin) is about 5 kilometres from the conference centre, a journey of approximately 10 minutes by taxi. The main railway station (Geneva Cornavin) is 2 kilometres from the conference centre and the two are linked by public transport (tramway and bus) and by taxi.

Public transport in Geneva is fast, frequent, safe and clean. Bus number 10 links the airport with downtown Geneva, with connections approximately every eight minutes, and train services are also available. The Unireso ticket, offered by the Geneva airport authority, allows the free use of public transport in the city for a period of 80 minutes. Unireso tickets can be obtained from the machine in the baggage collection area on the arrivals level of the airport.

The conference centre can be reached from the main railway station by taking bus number 5 (alight at either the Vermont stop or the Varembé stop), bus number 8 (alight at the International Telecommunications Union stop) or tram number 13 or 15 in the direction of Nations (alight at Sismondi).

Taxis are easily available and safe, but comparatively expensive. If you need a taxi, call 022 320 22 02 or 022 331 41 33.

Although Geneva is a comparatively safe place and violent crime is rare, the incidence of pickpocketing and theft has increased considerably over the last few years. Participants are advised to pay particular attention at the airport, around the Cornavin railway station and in the Paquis district of the city, and to not leave their luggage unattended at any time.

Electricity

Voltage: 230 volts
Frequency: 50 Hz
Plug/socket: C (CEE 7/16) , J

C (CEE 7/16)- photo Wikimedia Commons plug J - photo Wikimedia Commons

Currency

Swiss franc (CHF). Average exchange rates: 1 United States dollar ≈ 0.94 CHF; 1 euro ≈ 1.04 CHF.

Restaurants

The CICG bar and restaurant are located on the ground and first-floor levels. Other cafes, restaurants and shops are within walking distance of the CICG.

Information for participants for the online segment of the meetings

Download the Information note for Participants in English, French or Spanish.

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Guidelines for speakers