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Seminar on the Implementation of Annex 8 to the Harmonization Convention (Geneva, 18 June 2009)
20 May 2009
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) organize a seminar on the implementation of Annex 8 to the International Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods, 1982 (Harmonization Convention). This Seminar will take place at Room XXVI, Palais des Nations, Geneva, on 18 June 2009, and is organized in conjunction with the 122nd session of the UNECE Working Party on Customs Questions affecting Transport (WP.30) (16-19 June 2009).
The Harmonization Convention establishes commonly agreed requirements for coordinated border management and reduction of border formalities as well as the number and duration of all types of border controls of goods. 53 countries and the European Community are Contracting Parties to this Convention.
In May 2008, a new Annex 8 to the Convention came into force. This is the first time that an annex to the Harmonization Convention deals with a particular mode of transport, i.e. road transport, in recognition of the fact that the road transport industry should be considered as the main beneficiary of the facilitation measures set out in the Convention. New Annex 8 covers, inter alia, facilitation of visa procedures for professional drivers, standardized weighing operations and vehicle weight certificate, minimum infrastructure requirements for efficient border crossing points and provisions to monitor the border crossing performance.
The Seminar aims at capacity building to ensure a more effective implementation of the Harmonization Convention and is designed for government officials responsible for customs, transport and trade policies. It is also open to representatives of transport industry. The Seminar will include presentations by experts from various governmental and non-governmental organizations as well as by representatives of countries and the UNECE secretariat. More detail can be found on the webpage dedicated to this seminar.
Full simultaneous interpretation from/into English, French and Russian will be provided. Participation is free of charge for registered participants, but participants are expected to make their own travel arrangements and cover their travel costs, accommodation and other personal expenses. Each participant is requested to fill in a registration form, to transmit it to the UNECE secretariat, at the latest one week prior to the seminar, either by fax (+41-22-917-0039) or by e-mail ([email protected]), and bring the original of this form to Geneva. Prior to the session, participants who do not hold a long-term access badge should obtain an identification badge at the UNOG Security and Safety Section, located at the Pregny Gate (14, Avenue de la Paix). In case of difficulty, please contact by telephone the UNECE secretariat (internal extension 75975). For a map of the Palais des Nations and other useful information, see the webpage 'Practical information for delegates'.
Should you require more information, please contact the UNECE secretariat: tel.: +41-22-9171531, fax: +41-22-9170039, e-mail: [email protected].