The tenth meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Protocol on PRTRs (WGP10) will take place in Geneva on 27-28 November 2023 (Palais des Nations, Salle XXIV).
The Working Group is expected to review the progress in implementing the current work programme and a number of items, including financial matters; promotion and coordination; reporting and compliance mechanisms; and subregional and national activities. Parties, other interested member States and stakeholders will have an opportunity to share their experiences in implementing pollutant release and transfer registers, in particular, during agenda item on subregional and national activities. The Working Group is also expected to consider preparations for the fifth session of the Meeting of the Parties. See agenda and other documents for the meeting along with additional information below on this webpage.
Organization of work
The meeting will be held in an in-person format. Only in-person presence of Parties will be counted for decision-making. In addition, there will be opportunity to connect to the meeting remotely without speaking possibility; the link to the Zoom platform will be sent to the registered participants shortly before the meeting. Interpretation in English, French and Russian will be provided. Interpretation for remote statements will be available only for 30 min per 3 h and it is reserved for the invited speakers only who cannot attend for serious reasons. As for all UN public meetings, not registered participants can also connect to the meeting through audio means: https://listen-live.unog.ch/en/index.html
Statements and drafting suggestions
Pursuant to Rule 27 of the Rules of Procedure, and in order to facilitate meeting proceedings, delegations willing to take the floor are requested to subscribe to the Speaker’s list by 15 November 2023 by specifying under what agenda item(s) the delegation is willing to intervene. To assist interpretation, delegations are invited to provide the secretariat with the text of the statement(s) by the same date. Please let the secretariat know if you wish to make your statement publicly available prior to the meeting. Otherwise, the statements will not be made publicly available and will be shared with interpreters only. In addition, there will be also opportunity for spontaneous interventions if time permits.
If delegations have any drafting suggestions for the documents, they are requested to submit them to the secretariat by the same date; the drafting suggestions will be made available online prior to the meeting as to facilitate consideration of the documents.
Please submit the above information to the secretariat at public.participation[at]un.org, indicating in the subject line “WGP10 statements/drafting suggestions”.
Registration, Visa and Financial Support
All participants attending WGP10 meeting are requested to register online as soon as possible through the following link: https://indico.un.org/e/PRTR_WGP_10
We recommend using Google Chrome browser for the online meeting registration. Please ensure that you provide us with your email address which can be made publicly available through the list of participants.
To ensure that you receive all important correspondence about the meetings and that the secretariat is able to make all required practical and other arrangements on time, we urge participants to register online as soon as possible, even if you hold a UNOG ground entry pass.
Delegates are requested to modify registration any time after the registration is submitted in case of changes in their actual remote or onsite participation or other details provided in the registration form.
Participants requiring a personal invitation letter for visa purposes should click on the “visa required” option and register for the meeting as early as possible, taking into account the period required to obtain the visa.
The secretariat will be in a position to support limited number of delegates from countries with economies in transition, eligible for financial support, selected speakers and NGOs. Please indicate your request for financial support in Indico registration form by the deadline.
Representatives of Governments applying for financial support are also requested to upload in Indico the duly signed financial support request form. Kindly note that financial support request would be considered only after submission of duly filled in financial support request form and online registration through the link mentioned above.
NGO and other participants applying for financial support should indicate their request in the Indico registration form by the deadline.
Deadline for registration with financial support: 6 October 2023
Deadline for registration without financial support: 6 November 2023
Health-related matters
Delegates are requested to check COVID-19-related rules regularly and prior to arrival to the meeting venue:
For entering Switzerland: Travel (admin.ch)
For the Palais des Nations: https://www.ungeneva.org/en/about/practical-information/covid-19
Delegates are also requested to check all requirements regarding medical and other relevant insurance prior to the travel. Please be informed that any medical, quarantine or other possible expenses will be borne by your Organisation and/or insurance, as the United Nations do not take any responsibility for possible health-related consequences.
Practical information
Wireless internet is available in all meeting rooms. Note that electrical power plugs and sockets are unique to Switzerland within the UNECE region (type J, three-pin, 230 V, 50 Hz), and respectively require an adaptor, though slim two-pin plugs (type C) will fit.
In addition, please note that you can drink tap water at the Palais des Nations. As there will be no drinking water served in the meeting room, we encourage delegates to bring reusable bottles or containers for tap water.
Delegates are only allowed to enter the Palais with what is considered as carry-on luggage, e.g. computer bags, rucksacks and hand bags. There is no luggage storage available at the Palais. Delegates remain responsible for the luggage they bring to the Palais throughout their stay.
For additional practical information, please consult: https://unece.org/practical-information-delegates and https://www.ungeneva.org/en/practical-information/delegates
Key dates to remember:
Registration for delegates requesting financial support: 6 October 2023
Registration for other delegates: 6 November 2023
Subscribing to the Speaker’s list: 15 November 2023
Submitting statements and drafting suggestions for the documents: 15 November 2023
For additional information, contact the Protocol’s secretariat at public.participation[at]un.org