Documents
All documents for IWC66 will be available in our online Archive.
For your information, the Report of the 65th Meeting (2014) can be found online via our archive.
Paper copies of documents will not be provided at the meeting
Video Stream
At IWC66 we will be running a live online video stream. This is a beta stream, and due to external factors, such as internet connection, we cannot guarantee its reliability.
The live stream and any recordings can be viewed via https://www.youtube.com/c/iwcint
Please note: these links may change without notice - as explained above, due to factors beyond our control we are unable to guarantee reliability.
Registration
Registration is via our web portal.
https://portal.iwc.int/event_meetings
When you first visit the online registration page you will need to login to your account. If you have not previously logged into the IWC portal you may need to create an account or reset your password before you can access meeting registration.
After logging in, please ensure your profile is up to date (https://portal.iwc.int/myprofile).
To make the registration process considerably faster we ask that delegates upload a passport photo (showing only your head above the shoulders – see example below) if one has not been previously taken or uploaded. This can be done by heading to “my profile > edit profile > click to change photo (on the left)” then following the on screen instructions.
Observer registration fees
Please note that the Commission charges a fee for the attendance of observers at its meetings.
For 2016, the Commission has set the fee for accredited non-governmental organisations as follows:
- 600 GBP for the first observer per organisation; and
- 295 GBP for each additional observer.
For 2016, it has set the fee for non-member governments, regional integration organisations and international governmental organisations as follows:
- £800 per individual observer.
The fee is waived in the case of international governmental organisations with whom IWC has reciprocal arrangements for the exchange of observers.
There will be no charge for interpreters for languages other than French, Spanish and Japanese, but those NGOs wishing to nominate an interpreter must provide clear justification to the Secretariat and information on the qualifications and/or language abilities of the interpreter nominated. Each NGO will normally be restricted to the designation of one interpreter per organisation.
As usual, simultaneous interpretation into French, Spanish and Japanese will be provided to all delegates and observers during the meeting.
Payment will be required during the online meeting registration process via Credit or Debit Card.
Meeting venue and timetable
The venue for the 66th Meeting will be the Convention Centre of the Grand Hotel Bernardin:
St. Bernardin Resort
Grand Hotel Bernardin
Obala 2
6320 Portorož
SLOVENIA
T: +386 5 695 10 00
F: +386 5 674 64 11
http://www.bernardingroup.si/en/bernardin-resort/hotels/grand-hotel-bernardin
Hotel Booking Arrangements
The Bernardin Hotel Group is offering discounted room rates to IWC delegates at the following hotels:
Grand Hotel Bernardin, Hotel Histrion and Hotel Vile Park
All bookings should be made via:
(if you have difficulties with these links, go to the Bernardin Group homepage here: http://www.bernardingroup.si/en/ and enter the following promotional code into the room booking box to receive the discount: IWC2016)
Travel
The nearest airports to conference venue are:
• Ronchi airport – TRIESTE, Italy: about 50 minutes
• Jože Pučnik airport - LJUBLJANA, Slovenia: about 100 minutes
• Marco Polo airport - VENICE, Italy: about 2 hours
If desired, transfers from any of these airports to the conference venue can be booked through the following company:
Sun-tours d.o.o.
Grand hotel Bernardin
Obala 2 - 6320 Portoroz
Contact person: Boris Rolc
e-mail: suntours@siol.net
http://www.sun-tours.si/en/
Tel: +386- 56 748 510 Fax: +386- 56 746 411
Emergency telephone number: +386-40 710 560
Sun-tours requests that bookings include name, date of arrival, flight number, time of arrival as well as details of the return journey
Office accommodation
Any observers wishing to hire offices should contact Urban Benčič at the Grand Hotel Bernardin (Urban.Bencic@bernardingroup.si) to make the arrangements.
Timetable
The timetable for the meetings of the Commission’s sub-groups and the Commission is given below:
|
Date |
Meeting |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Morning |
Afternoon |
Evening |
||||
|
Wednesday |
19 |
October |
Pre-meeting for the working group on Conservation Management Plans (10.00-12.30) Adria
Pre-meeting for the working group on Operational Effectiveness (10.00-12.30) Pharos |
Pre-meeting for the working group on Assistance to Governments of Limited Means (14.30-16.30) Adria |
||
|
Thursday |
20 |
October |
ASW (09.00-12.30) Emerald |
WKM-WI (14.00-16.30) |
BSC (17.00-18.30) |
|
|
Friday
|
21 |
October |
INF (09.00-10.00) Emerald |
CC with time for joint SC/CC discussions (10.30 to 17.30, with lunch 12.30 to 14.00) |
||
|
Saturday |
22 |
October |
F&A (09.00 start) Emerald |
Bureau (16.30 start) Pharos |
||
|
Sunday |
23 |
October |
PCOMMS (11.00 start) Emerald |
|
||
|
Monday
Friday |
24 to 28 |
October |
66th Biennial Commission Meeting (Five Days) (Opening session at 10.00Hrs, thereafter 09.00-17.30 each day) Europa |
|||
Committees and Working Groups to include:
INF Infractions Sub-committee
WKM&WI Working Group Whale Killing Methods and Welfare Issues
ASW Sub-committee on Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling
CC Conservation Committee
BSC Budgetary Sub-Committee
F&A Finance and Administration Committee
PCOMMS Private Commissioners’ Meeting
Credentials requirements
The names of all representatives of member and non-member governments and observer organisations to any meeting of the Commission or committees, as specified in the Rules of Procedure of the Commission, Technical and Scientific Committees, shall be notified to the Secretary in writing before their participation and/or attendance at each meeting. For member governments, the notification shall indicate the Commissioner, his/her alternate(s) and advisers, and the head of the national delegation to the Scientific Committee and any alternate(s) as appropriate.
The written notification shall be made by governments or the heads of organisations as the case may be. In this context, ‘governments’ means the Head of State, the Head of Government, the Minister of Foreign Affairs (including: on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs), the Minister responsible for whaling or whale conservation (including: on behalf of this Minister), the Head of the Diplomatic Mission accredited to the seat of the Commission or to the host country of the meeting in question, or the Commissioner appointed under Rule A.1.
(d) The Secretary, or his/her representative, shall report on the received notifications at the beginning of a meeting.
(e) In case of any doubt as to the authenticity of notification or in case of apparent delay in their delivery, the Chair of the meeting shall convene an ad hoc group of no more than one representative from any Contracting Government present to decide upon the question of participation in the meeting.
Fax or email notifications (or photocopies) will not be accepted as the formal credentials, although advance notification by these means is helpful.
Instructions for Opening Statements
The conditions for Opening Statements are as follows:
- Opening Statements should be no more than three pages in length, and contain no graphics (although use of logos is acceptable) or photographs.
- They should be submitted only in electronic format. Paper copies will not be accepted.
- Opening Statements must be submitted to the Secretariat no later than 17.00 on the first day of the plenary meeting. The Secretariat will allocate document numbers.
- Opening Statements will be published in electronic format only. The collated documents will be available to download either through the Commission’s website, or by request from document control.
- The content of Opening Statements shall be relevant to matters under consideration by the Commission, and shall be in the form of views and comments made to the Commission in general rather than directed to any individual or group of Contracting Governments.
- Documents not conforming to these conditions will not be included as Opening Statements in the formal meeting documentation.
Other forms of publication, including glossy-type brochures or booklets can be made available for delegates to collect if they wish from the tables provided for this purpose.
Visa requirements
Slovenia is a member of the Schengen area. Entering into one Schengen member state allows persons to travel freely to all Schengen member states (Schengen area). Countries within the Schengen area are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Visa Exemptions
Citizens of a number of countries can enter the Schengen area with a valid travel document and without a visa. Annex 2 of the Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 lists nationals of third countries who are exempt from the visa requirement:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:2001R0539:20140609:EN:PDF
Holders of a valid Schengen visa
Foreign nationals holding a valid visa issued by any Schengen country may also enter Slovenia, they only need to take into account the Schengen visa restriction limiting a holder's stay to up to 90 days within a period of 180 days. Third country nationals who are holders of a valid residence permit or a long-stay visa of any Schengen country are also allowed to enter Slovenia.
If you do not hold a valid visa or if there is no visa exemption
If you are not in possession of a valid Schengen visa, you can apply for one at any Slovenian diplomatic mission or consular post, or at the missions of other Schengen countries with which Slovenia has concluded agreements for issuing short stay visas. There are more than 140 such missions all over the world:
Please check column "SI" in the following table:
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/e-library/documents/policies/borders-and-visas/visa-policy/docs/20151019_1_annex_28_ms_consular_representation_20_en.xlsx
Some countries have neither a Slovenian embassy nor a visa agreement concluded with missions of other Schengen countries, in which case the applicant needs to apply for a visa at the nearest Slovenian embassy. Applicants from these countries are advised to immediately inform the Secretariat about this situation, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia will try to facilitate the visa procedure.
Visa fee
Regular visa fee is EUR 60. Based on the agreements between the EU and certain countries, a reduced visa fee of EUR 35 or even an exemption from the fees can be applied for.
Visa procedure
The visa procedure is usually concluded within 15 days, provided that all required documents have been submitted. The application can be filed up to three months in advance and no later than four (4) weeks in advance of the planned trip.
General visa information is available at the following links:
http://www.mzz.gov.si/en/travel_and_visa_information/visa_information/
http://www.mzz.gov.si/en/travel_and_visa_information/visa_information/general_information
Applicants should submit the following documents:
- Invitation, required for the visa process, by the organiser in Slovenia
- Any other documents required by a specific embassy
More information on the required documents is available at:
Important notice
To receive an invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, the applicants needing a Schengen visa shall write to the IWC Secretariat (secretariat@iwc.int) and provide it with necessary personal data (name, address, nationality, date of birth, passport number).
Deadline for registration for applicants needing a Schengen visa is Friday 2 September 2016. Receiving the complete registration form will enable the Ministry to send you the invitation required for the visa process in due time.
Should you have any difficulties in obtaining a visa, please contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, Consular Department, at the following email: iwc.mzz@gov.si
