November

Comments

1-2

Joint ECE/ILO Meeting on Consumer Price Indices
Focal point: Jan Karlsson, Tel: 917 32 85

Agenda items: (a) Treatment of quality changes in consumer price indices; (b) New data sources and technologies for data collection; (c) Practical issues in maintaining the representative sample; (d) Follow-up on choice of cost of living index vs. pure price index; and (e) Treatment of electronic commerce in consumer price indices.
Expected outcome: (a) Agreement on the finalization on an International Handbook on CPI; (b) Agreement on programme of work.
Documents are available at: www.unece.org/stats

5

Ad hoc Informal Meeting of the Commission
Focal point: Susan Bartolo, Tel: 917 14 69

5

Administrative Committee for the Coordination of Work (WP.29/AC.2)
Focal point: Jan Jerie, Tel: 917 24 22

At its 77th session the Committee is scheduled to make recommendations concerning the programme of work of WP.29, both short and mid-term.

5-7
(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.

5-9

Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods
Focal point: Olivier Kervella, Tel: 917 24 56

The Working Party will monitor the status of the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) and related multilateral/bilateral agreements. The Working Party will also consider proposals of amendments to Annexes A and B of ADR concerning in particular fire-fighting equipment and construction of vehicles for the transport of dangerous goods. It will also consider questions related to the safety of the transport of dangerous goods in tunnels and to the follow-up of the Convention on Civil Liability for Damage Caused during Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road, Rail and Inland Navigation Vessels (CRTD) (Agenda: TRANS/WP.15/166). Documentation available on : http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/wp15/wp15age.html

5-9

Meeting on the Convention on Civil Liability for Damage Caused during the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road, Rail and Inland Navigation Vessels
Focal point: Ould Khou Sid'Ahmed,
Tel: 917 24 21

- Follow up to the CRTD Convention
- Results of a questionnaire on CRTD Convention
- Recommendations

6-9

World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29)
Focal point: Jan Jerie, Tel: 917 24 22

Besides the usual duties, including this time consideration of 24 amendments to existing ECE Regulations, the 125th session of WP.29 is expected to consider its future role in the field of intelligent transport systems.

7
(3 p.m.)

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

Room F-3.

7
Budapest, Hungary

UNECE Workshop on E-Government for Transition Economies
Focal point: Daewon Choi, Tel. 917 24 74

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

8
Budapest, Hungary

3rd Session of Team of Specialists on Internet Enterprise Development
Focal point: Daewon Choi, Tel. 917 24 74

8-9

Second Meeting of the Task Force on Environmental Compliance and Enforcement
Focal point: Albena Karadjova, Tel: 917 23 45

The Task Force is expected to discuss the content and agree on the outline of the ECE guidelines for environmental compliance and enforcement.

8-9
Fort Laudardale, USA

ISO, IEC, ITU and UNECE MoU Management Group Meeting
Focal point: Jean Kubler, Tel: 917 27 74

Regular meeting of the Management Group of the MoU between ISO, IEC, ITU and UNECE on standardization in the field of electronic business.
Apart from normal review of the work done by the agencies, the meeting is expected to address the various developments of XML.

12-14

Working Party on Standardization of Perishable Produce and Quality Development
Focal point: Tom Heilandt, Tel: 917 24 50

Annual meeting of the Working Party. Subjects:
- Review of results of the meetings of the 5 specialized sections
- Policy issues for the next biennium: working procedures, legal framework.
Web site: http://www.unece.org/trade/agr

12-14

Joint ECE/Eurostat/OECD Consultation on the ECP
Focal point: Lidia Bratanova, Tel: 917 17 72

The purpose of the Consultation is to discuss the 1999 and 2000 rounds of international comparisons of GDP within the ECE region. Discussion will focus on current status of the comparison in each of the sub-groups of countries (EU and Candidate Countries, OECD and CIS). Attention will be paid to the completion and publication of the overall results for the ECE region.

12-15

Working Party on the Transport of Perishable Foodstuffs
Focal point: Ould Khou Sid'Ahmed,
Tel: 917 24 21

Annual Meeting of the Working Party:
- Review of the ATP Agreement
- ATP Handbook
Web site: http://www.unece.org/trans/main/welcwp11.html

14-16

Working Party on Transport Statistics
Focal point: Andr Sceia, Tel: 917 13 13

Annual meeting of the Working Party.
Main areas of work will deal with: Intersecretariat Working Group on Transport Statistics (IWG); Methodological development and harmonization of transport statistics; Transport database and information systems development; Traffic censuses in the ECE region; Revision of classification systems used in transport statistics.
Documents are available at: www.unece.org/trans

14-16
Belgrade, Yugoslavia

Workshop on Multilateral Environmental Agreements
Focal point: Branko Bosnjakovic/Bo Libert, Tel: 917 23 96

14-17
Yerevan, Armenia

Joint UNECE/UNEP Workshop on the Implementation of the Aarhus Convention for the South Caucasus
Focal point: Sofie H. Flensborg, Tel: 917 26 50

The second workshop on the Aarhus Convention for the three countries in South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) will take place in Yerevan, Armena. The aim of the workshop is to discuss solutions to identify implementation problems and to discuss current development under the Aarhus Convention.

15-16

Informal Working Group on Harmonized Classification Codes for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
Focal point: Tom Heilandt, Tel: 917 24 50

Web site: http://www.unece.org/trade/agr

15-16

ECE/Eurostat/EFTA/OECD Workshop on International Comparison of GDP for the West Balkan Countries
Focal point: Lidia Bratanova, Tel: 917 17 72

The purpose of the Workshop is to introduce the West Balkan countries to the methodology of Purchasing Power Parities (PPPs). This is a joint pilot project of Eurostat and OECD to familiarise the West Balkan countries with the methodology applied by Eurostat and to incorporate them in the European Comparison Programme (ECP).

15-16
Belgrade, Yugoslavia

Workshop on "Future developments of the Yugoslav gas industry"
Focal point: Alexandre Chachine,
Tel: 917 24 51

19-20

Working Party on Land Administration, 2nd session
Focal point: Guennadi Vinogradov,
Tel: 917 23 74

Subjects: (a) In-depth discussion on public-private partnership and provision of open access to land information; (b) Programme of workshops and land administration reviews in countries in transition; (c) Studies on land administration.

19-20

Ad Hoc Group of Experts on Coal and Thermal Power
Focal point: Slav Slavov, Tel: 917 24 44

Review of the restructuring process of both sectors in economies in transition; overview of coal supplies and demand in power sector; coal and liberalized markets.

19-20

Steering Committee of the Energy Efficiency 21 Project
Focal point: Frederic Romig, Tel: 917 24 07

Review of 2000-2001 operations for Energy Efficiency 21 and for the sub-regional projects in South-Eastern Europe (RENEUER) and eastern Europe and the CIS supported by the United Nations Foundation; plan and approve future activities for 2001-2002.

19-20

Task Force on Implementation of the UN Framework Classification for Reserves/Resources
Focal point: Slav Slavov, Tel: 917 24 44

State of implementation of UNFC worldwide; adoption of Guideline for practical application; case studies consideration; extension of UNFC to petroleum, natural gas and uranium reserves/resources.

19-20
Villars, VS, Switzerland

Joint UNECE/OSCE international colloquium on "The Role of the Economic Dimension in Conflict Prevention in Europe"
Focal point: Geoffrey Hamilton, Tel: 917 2838,
Alexander Chance, Tel. 917 20 09 &
Mitja Jarh, Tel. 917 13 54

The UNECE and the OSCE, together with the participation of experts from NATO, will be holding a joint, international colloquium on "The Role of the Economic Dimension in Conflict Prevention in Europe".
At the conclusion of the meeting, two working groups will be established to finalize the recommendations and to formulate in detail proposals for consideration at the next OSCE Permanent Council.
Web site: www.unece.org/operact/security

19-22

UN/CEFACT Steering Group
Focal point: Mario Apostolov, Tel: 917 11 34

The meeting will review the structure of a prospective working group on electronic business standards.

19
Orvieto,
Italy

Working Group on Environmental Impact Assessment
Focal point: Wiek Schrage, Tel: 917 24 40

The Working Group under the Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context will, inter alia, review the workplan. Web site: http://www.unece.org/env/eia

20
Orvieto,
Italy

Seminar on Strategic Environmental Assessment
Focal point: Wiek Schrage, Tel: 917 24 40

21
Trieste,
Italy

Workshop on Women's Entrepreneurship, CEI Summit
Focal point: Ewa Ruminska-Zimny,
Tel: 917 16 98

The Workshop will focus on two themes: (1) building networks among women-entrepreneurs in CEI countries and (2) access to e-commerce and information and communication technologies (ICT).

21-22

COMMITTEE ON SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Focal point: Frederic Romig, Tel: 917 24 07

Key discussions on reforming energy prices for sustainable development, market liberalisation and energy security and elaboration of indicators for sustainable energy development; review of inter-sectoral activities, gender mainstreaming and UN global processes and events.

21-23
Orvieto,
Italy

Ad Hoc Working Group on the Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment
Focal point: Wiek Schrage, Tel: 917 24 40

The Ad Hoc Working Group will continue the negotiations for a Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment. The meeting will be preceded by a seminar on the same subject.
Web site: http://www.unece.org/env/eia

21-23

Working Group on Civil Liability under the Water and Industrial Accidents Conventions
Focal points: Rainer Enderlein, Tel: 917 23 73 & Serge Ludwiczak, Tel. 917 31 74

The first meeting of the Working Group will begin negotiations of the legally-binding instrument on civil liability for transboundary damage caused by hazardous activities within the scope of both conventions.

21-24
Warsaw, Poland

UNECE-UNDP-GUS (Stat. Office of Poland) Ad Hoc Seminar on Social Monitoring and Human Development Reporting, for Countries in Transition from Southeast Europe
Focal point: Jean-Etienne Chapron, 917 15 86

The purpose of the Seminar is to improve the capacity of national authorities to monitor and evaluate socio-economic conditions in their country. It will explore statistical requirements, availability and quality of data. It should facilitate the production of National Human Development Reports. The Seminar is funded by extra-budgetary resources provided by UNDP.

21-25

Training for Government Officials from Countries in Transition in Early Warning and Conflict Prevention
Focal point: Larissa Kapitsa, Tel: 917 42 21

The five day-long training of Government officials from countries in transition in Early Warning and Conflict Prevention will follow the ECE/OSCE Colloquium. It will be organized jointly by UNECE and UN Staff College (Turin).

23
Paris,
France

Gas Centre' Task Force on "Implementation of the EU Gas Directive"
Focal Point: Tans van Kleef, Tel: 917 24 43

23 (pm)

Ad Hoc Group of Experts on Extension of European Electricity Interconnection
Focal point: Frederic Romig, Tel: 917 24 07

Roundtable discussions on European electricity interconnections including presentation of USAID supported activities in South-Eastern Europe.

26-27

Aarhus Convention Working Group on Compliance and Rules of Procedure
Focal point: Jeremy Wates, Tel: 917 23 84

The Working Group is charged with the preparation of two drafts decisions for the first meeting of the Parties on compliance and rules of procedure, respectively. The Working Group is expected to endeavour to resolve all outstanding issues at its second meeting.

26-27

Joint ECE/WHO Ad Hoc Expert Group on Transport, Environment and Health
Focal point: Tea Aulavuo, Tel: 917 17 23

28-30

Working Group for the preparation of the first meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters
Focal point: Jeremy Wates, Tel: 917 23 84

The Aarhus Convention enters into force on 30 October 2001. The first meeting of the Parties should take place within one year after the entry into force and the Working Group is convened to start the preparations for the meeting of the Parties.