1

Advisory Group on the Protection and Implementation of Intellectual Property Rights for Investment (IPR)
Focal point: Andrei Maevski, Tel. 917 32 96

The 3rd annual session will review the progress in the implementation of the AG programme of work, consider guidelines for the operation of the UNECE Advisory Groups involving representatives of business community and approve a new work programme for the next year.
Web site: http://www.unece-ipr.org

1-4
Ottawa,
Canada

Joint ECE/Eurostat Work Session on Methodological Issues of Environment Statistics
Focal point: Lene Mikkelsen, Tel. 917 41 13

The focus of the meeting is "environment indicators and indicators of sustainable development", the meeting aims to address the demand for improved environmental information within the ECE Region. The papers for the meeting are available on: http://www.unece.org/stats/documents/2001.10.env.htm

1 (pm)-5

Working Party on Lighting and Light-Signalling (GRE)
Focal point: Jan Jerie, Tel. 917 24 22

The forty-seventh session of GRE is scheduled to consider a range of regulatory and technological improvements designed to enhance the active safety of vehicles by improving their lighting and visibility. A demonstration is expected of a proposed headlamp dipped beam pattern, intended to harmonize the requirements existing in the ECE, Japan and the United States of America.

2-5

TIMBER COMMITTEE
Focal point: Kit Prins, Tel. 917 28 74

The Committee's annual session will, among other agenda items, finalise the Strategic Review of its work programme; discuss strengthening of ECE intersectoral cooperation; and review markets for forest products and issue a statement. Web site: http://www.unece.org/trade/timber/docs/tc-59/tc-59.htm

3
(4 pm)

Briefing by Executive Secretary to Missions
Focal point: Susan Bartolo, Tel: 917 14 69

Room F-3.

4-5
Minsk,
Belarus

Workshop on Practical Aspects of Trade Finance in CIS Countries with Special Reference to Problems Encountered by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Focal point: Iouri Adjoubei, Tel. 917 24 88

Proceedings of the Workshop will be published.

UNECE Conference on Digital Economy Development for South East Europe and Romania
Focal point:Daewon Choi, Tel. 917 24 74

Team of Specialists on Internet Enterprise Development in collaboration with the Romanian Government.

8-10
Vienna, Austria

Expert Seminar in Preparation for the Ministerial Conference on Ageing: "Age Integration, the Changing Life Course, and Intergenerational Solidarity"
Focal point: Nikolai Botev, Tel. 917 13 24

Expected output: A report on the issues considered to be of particular policy importance and on the ways and means through which they can be addressed within the framework of the policy-making process.
Web site: http://www.unece.org/ead/ead_h.htm

8-10
Minsk, Belarus

UNF/UNFIP Energy Efficiency Investment for Climate Change Mitigation Project Second session Training Course on Business Planning and Financial Engineering
Focal Point: Frederic Romig, Tel. 917 24 07

Expected output: six business plans for energy efficiency investment projects in Belarus to be presented to sources of financing including the World Bank.
Web site: http://www.ee-21.net

8(pm)-11

Working Party on General Safety Provisions (GRSG), 81^st session
Focal point: Juan Ramos Garcia, Tel. 917 19 98

The GRSG 81st session of the body subsidiary to the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) will continue consideration of worldwide harmonization on definition of vehicles, its masses and dimensions. GRSG will also consider a range of amendments to ECE Regulations related to vehicle general safety requirements, in particular buses and coaches safety requirements, speedometer equipment, safety glazing, protection against unauthorized use, etc. Web site: http://www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29grsg/grsgage.html

8-11
Walkringen, Switzerland

Seminar on Forestry Meets the Public
Focal point: Jorge Najera, Tel. 917 32 40

Today=s society shows an increasing interest in the forest, whether for recreation, protection, or for providing timber. This has contributed to a growing need for information about the objectives and implementation of modern forest management. This interest offers an opportunity not only to transmit knowledge about the forest, but also to bring forestry into contact with a broader public and to reinforce the position of foresters as custodians of the forest. Seizing this opportunity will require effective forms of public relations, including two-way communication and attractive programmes for environmental education forestry. This is an opportunity to pool experience and develop new approaches.

10-12

First Meeting of the Aarhus Convention Working Group on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
Focal point: Jeremy Wates, Tel. 917 23 84

The Working Group is expected to start the preparation of a draft decision on public participation in decision-making on GMOs and on GMO labelling and product information for the adoption at the first meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention, expected to take place in October 2002. Web site www.unece.org.env/pp/gmo.htm

10-12
Minsk, Belarus

UNF/UNFIP Energy Efficiency Investments for Climate Change Mitigation Project Workshop on Energy Efficiency and Energy Security in the CIS
Focal point: Evgeniy Nadezhdin, Tel. 917 13 90

Expected output: first of three workshops of experts from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation, Ukraine and international counterparts to examine energy forecasts to 2010 and discuss the national investments needed to achieve high energy efficiency scenarios, ultimately for a publication on this subject.
Web site: http://www.ee-21.net

12
Paris,
France

UNECE Special Session on National Accounts for Transition Economies
Focal point: Lidia Bratanova, Tel. 917 17 72

The session is organized by the ECE secretariat back-to-back with the OECD meeting of national accounts experts to discuss issues of concern to transition economies. The main topic for discussion will be General Government sector: measurement problems.

15-16

15th (special) session of the TER Steering Committee
Focal point: Michalis Adamantiadis,
Tel. 917 11 28

16-18

Working Party on Rail Transport
Focal point: Helmut Lehmacher, Tel. 917 24 34
& Miodrag Pesut, Tel: 917 41 36

The Working Party will discuss, among other issues, railway infrastructure capacity and fee for use of infrastructure, facilitation of rail border crossing, the role of railways in the promotion of combined transport, and railway safety and risk assessment techniques.
Web site: http://www.unece.org/trans/main/sc2/sc2.html

16-19

Working Party on Road Transport
Focal points: Marie-Nolle Poirier,
Tel. 917 32 59 & Christopher Smith,
Tel. 917 32 98

16 October - Special session, in cooperation with the European Commission, on the implications for checking authorities of the introduction of the digital tachograph for professional drivers.
17-19 October - Discussion of introduction of digital tachograph into UNECE legislation (AETR), proposals to amend the European E Road network (AGR), consideration of a new text of the Consolidated Resolution on the Facilitation of International Road Transport (R.E.4), proposals to allow an electronic consignment note for goods transport (CMR). Web site: http://www.unece.org/trans/main/sc1/sc1age.html

17-19

Joint ECE/Eurostat/FAO/OECD Meeting on Food and Agricultural Statistics in Europe
Focal point: Jan Karlsson, Tel. 917 32 85

The meeting will address the following issues: The agriculture census 2000; the interaction of agriculture with environment and rural space; use of administrative and non-survey data; income statistics; productivity; measuring, forecasting and analysing food supplies; use of GIS in agriculture statistics; and techniques for presentation and dissemination of statistical results.

22

Forum of Women Entrepreneurs
Focal point: Ewa Ruminska-Zimny,
Tel. 917 16 98

Women-headed businesses are in many UNECE countries one of the most dynamic sectors. The purpose of the Forum is to integrate women-entrepreneurs within the UNECE region and strengthen their network. Further details are provided on the homepage at: http://www.unece.org/operact/meetings/Welcome.html

23-25

Working Party on Inland Water Transport, 45^th session
Focal point: Viatcheslav Novikov,
Tel. 917 24 78

The Working Party is expected to discuss a wide range of questions concerning inland navigation and consider its possible follow-up action to the Ministerial Conference on Inland Water Transport (Rotterdam, 5-6 September 2001).

23-26

Working Party on Customs Questions affecting Transport, 99^th session
Focal point: Poul Hansen, Tel. 917 32 58

The Working Party will review the status of the 14 United Nations Conventions in the field of border crossing facilitation, which are administered by the Working Party. In particular, the Working Party will consider a new annex on efficient border crossing procedures to the International Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods, a new Convention for Customs transit by rail and the progress in the current revision of the TIR Convention as well as a large number of issues relating to the application of the TIR Customs transit procedure.
Web site: http://www.unece.org/trans/bcf/welcome.html

23

Forum on Best Practice in Development of Entrepreneurship and SMEs in Countries in Transition: The Polish Experience
Focal point: Antal Szab, Tel. 917 24 71

24

Forum on Best Practice in Development of Entrepreneurship and SMEs in Countries in Transition: The Belarus Experience
Focal point: Antal Szab, Tel. 917 24 71

24-26
Torun, Poland

Second Meeting of the Ad hoc Expert Group on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPS)
Focal point: Henning Wuester, Tel. 917 23 63

The meeting has the task to prepare follow-up work on the Protocol on POPs, in particular, to develop information dossiers related to scientific/technical requirements specified in the POPs Protocol for substances already included in annexes I or II, or identified elsewhere in the Protocol, and to review risk profile dossiers on substances not currently included in the Protocol which a country might wish to prepare.
Web site: http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap/TaskForce/popsxg/welcome.html

25

TIR Administrative Committee, 31^st session
Focal point: Martin Magold, Tel. 917 24 53

The TIR Administrative Committee, the highest administrative organ representing all 63 Contracting States and the European Community to the TIR Convention is convened at least twice a year and is serviced by the ECE secretariat. At its autumn session, the Committee will review the activities, budget and cost plans for 2001 and 2002 of its executive organ, the TIR Executive Board (TIRExB), provide guidance for all work to be undertaken under the present Phase III of the TIR revision process and adopt amendment proposals and comments to the text of the TIR Convention, 1975.
Web site: http://www.unece.org/trans/bcf/welcome.html

25-26

Expert Meeting on Best Practice in the Creation of Quality Assurance Systems for Enhancing Competitiveness of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
Focal point: Antal Szab, Tel. 917 24 71

29

Team of Specialists on CHEMISEED
Focal point: Bernard Roux-Fouillet,
Tel. 917 32 41

29-31

Working Party on Technical Harmonization and Standardization Policies and Workshop on Conformity Assessment Procedures and Trade Facilitation (30 October 2001)
Focal point: Serguei Kouzmine, Tel. 917 27 71

Major issues to be discussed at the Working Party session and Workshop are:

1. "UNECE Project "International Model for Technical Harmonization" - proposals for mechanisms and principles for international harmonization of mandatory national technical regulations as a means of facilitating market access; and

2. Conformity assessment procedures - protection of legitimate concerns of governments and consumers or an obstacle to international trade?
Web site: http://www.unece.org/trade/welcome.htm

30

Celebration of the entry into force of the Aarhus Convention
Focal points: Jeremy Wates, Tel. 917 23 84 & Sofie H. Flensborg, Tel. 917 26 50

The UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters enters into force on 30 October 2001.

31

Special Session on Consumer Price Indices for Transition Economies
Focal point: Lidia Bratanova, Tel. 917 17 72

The session is organized by the ECE secretariat back-to-back with the Joint ECE/ILO meeting on CPI to discuss issues of concern to transition economies. The discussion will focus on practical problems related to the compilation of CPI in the following areas: sampling issues, price collection, chain linking, and quality adjustments.

5-7 Nov.
(Israel)

POSTPONED
TO 2002

Work Session on Statistical Output for Dissemination to the Information Media
Focal point: Lene Mikkelsen, Tel. 917 41 13

The jointly organized ECE-Eurostat planned to take place 5-7 November in Israel has been postponed to 2002. The work on the handbook on best practices will go ahead so that when the meeting will be convened in Israel, at a later date in 2002, a well-advanced draft can be considered. Authors of chapters will be contacted later this year for revising their contributions and finalizing the text.