General Information

AUTUMN MEETING OF THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

Andorra

3 - 5 October 2017

General Information

VENUE OF THE SESSION

All meetings will take place at :

Congress Centre in Old Andorra (Centre de  Congressos d’Andorra la Vella)

Plaça del Poble s. núm.

AD500 – Andorra la Vella

Tel : +376 730 005

Email: centredecongressos@comuandorra.ad

Website: http://turisme.andorralavella/ciutat-congressos

Google Maps: http://bit.ly/2q5CtSX

CONTACTS

Secretariat of the Parliament of the Principality of Andorra (General Council):

Ms. Meritxell CARBO, Secretary of the delegation to the OSCE PA

Tel. : +376 877 877

Mob. : +376 327 556

Fax : +376 869 863

Email : meritxell.carbo@parlament.ad

M. Erick GARASA, Secretary of the delegation to the OSCE PA

Tel. : +376 877 877

Mob. : +376 346 166

Fax : +376 869 863

Email : erick.garasa@parlament.ad

International Secretariat of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Ms. Odile LELARGE, Head of Conference Services

Tordenskjoldsgade 1, 1055 Copenhagen, Denmark

Tel.: +45 33 37 80 40

Fax.: +45 33 37 80 30

Email : odile@oscepa.dk

DRAFT PROGRAMME*

*   Please note that this preliminary draft is subject to change. A detailed programme will be distributed to all participants in due course.

HOTELS AND ACCOMMODATION

Block bookings at preferential rates for the participants have been made at the following hotels:

The Parliament of Andorra will organize a shuttle service between the hotels proposed by the Parliament and the venue of the session.

More information about hotels in Andorra can be found on the following website : http://visitandorra.com/en/sleeping/. Please note that official transportation will only be organized to and from the official hotels of the Session.

A copy of the reservation requests – first page only – should be also forwarded to the International Secretariat of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Copenhagen to the attention of Ms. Odile Lelarge, Head of Conference Services, by email at: odile@oscepa.dk or by fax: +45 33 37 80 30 with Ms. Gemma Bosch in copy at: info@osceandorra.ad 

Reservations must be made before the deadline set by the hotel. Bookings received after the deadline will be subject to availability. Participants are asked to carefully read the terms of the cancellation policy.

For further information, please refer to the Hotel Reservation Forms, and for more details about the hotels’ amenities, please consult the websites of the hotels.

Secretaries of Delegations who wish to reserve rooms by making a block booking should fill out a form for each individual attending.

Preferential rates are valid from 2 October to 6 October 2017. They are offered two days prior and two days after the OSCE PA 2017 Autumn Meeting, depending on availability.

All payments for accommodation and personal costs should be made directly to the hotels upon departure. Credit card details are required to secure bookings.

Information desks will be set up in every hotel of the conference.

REGISTRATION

The registration form (Appendix A) should be sent to Ms. Odile Lelarge at the International Secretariat of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (Fax. : +45 33 37 80 30; email: odile@oscepa.dk) by 25 AUGUST 2017. Please also send a copy to Ms. Gemma Bosch (Tel.: +376 62 55 00 ; email: info@osceandorra.ad ).

The Registration and Information desk will be open in the lobby of the Centre de Congressos d’Andorra La Vella on 2 October 2017 from 14:00 to 20:00. For the rest of the Autumn Meeting, registration will be open at the Centre de Congressos d’Andorra La Vella every day from 8:00 until the end of official meetings.

All participants are kindly requested to register as soon as possible after their arrival. Participants will be required to show official identification when registering (passport or identity card). All participants will be able to collect bags, handbooks and other conference literature after their registration. Participants and accompanying persons will receive their personal badges and information about the conference at the Registration and Information desk located in the lobby of the Centre de Congressos d’Andorra La Vella.

A provisional List of Participants will be made available. In order to enable the OSCE PA International Secretariat to issue the final list and to ensure the accuracy of its content, national delegations are kindly requested to indicate any corrections to the provisional list at the Registration desk.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

TRAVEL TO ANDORRA

Participants arriving on 2 and 3 October exclusively at the Barcelona (El Prat) Airport, Spain, will be offered a special shuttle service to Andorra and their respective hotels.

Participants arriving on other dates will be kindly invited to make their own arrangements to get to Andorra. Regular bus services run between the airport and Andorra :

www.andorrabybus.com. Barcelona.

www.andorradirectbus.es. Barcelona.

Private transportation :

Mr. Manel LARA - Tel. : +376 321686 (info@limusineslara.com)

Mr. Xavier FOLGUERA - Tel. : +376 321679 (contact@taxisfolguera.com)

Mr. Toni ZAMORA - Tel. : +376 323074 (az@sedepsa.com)

The estimated travel time from Barcelona airport to Andorra is 2:30 hours.

Airport El Prat (Barcelona)

There will be an information desk (with the OSCE PA logo) at the Barcelona airport arrivals Terminal 1 (T1). The welcoming staff of the Conference will be on hand to direct participants to buses or to the waiting room reserved for the Conference.

DEPARTURE FROM ANDORRA

The shuttle service will also run from Andorra to Barcelona (El Prat) airport, following the general schedule of delegations’ flights. Shuttle service times will be displayed at the registration desk of the Conference.

Delegations must confirm their departure date and time at the Registration and Information desk of the Conference when registering.

TRANSPORTATION DURING THE AUTUMN MEETING

The Parliament of Andorra will organize a shuttle service running between the hotels proposed by the Parliament and the location of the Conference.

Transportation to and from receptions, the cultural programme and the accompanying persons’ programme will be taken over by the Parliament of Andorra. All the hotels are located a few minutes’ walk from the venue of the  OSCE PA 2017 Autumn Meeting.

Shuttle schedules will be available at the hotel information points.

PASSPORTS AND VISAS

Travelers must hold a valid passport to enter Andorra. Nationals from the Schengen area may use their identity cards. The Principality of Andorra does not require an entry visa.  

However, given that the only road access points run through the territory of Spain and France, participants who require a visa to cross either Spanish or French territory  must contact the Spanish Consulate or the French Consulate in their country of origin, and apply for a Schengen visa. 

If a Schengen visa is required, we recommend applying for a double-entry visa or a multiple entry visa, in case you plan on going on an excursion outside Andorran territory.

IDENTIFICATION AND SECURITY

For security purposes, all participants, including accompanying persons, observers, delegation staff and members of the press are requested to wear their identity badges at all meetings and social events. Name badges will be needed to access all conference events.

Loss of identity badges should be reported immediately to the conference staff.

DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIONS

All embassies and consulates accredited in Andorra will be notified of the OSCE PA 2017 Autumn Meeting and will receive a copy of the programme. Participants wishing to reach their diplomatic representatives may consult the list available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Andorra:

http://www.exteriors.ad/en/bilateral-and-consular-affairs/bilateral-affairs

http://www.exteriors.ad/en/honorary-consuls-accredited-in-the-principality-of-andorra

DOCUMENTATION AND COPYING SERVICES

The International Secretariat will send electronic documentation folders in PDF format to all delegations. Most of the documents related to the Autumn Meeting can also be downloaded from the OSCE PA website: www.oscepa.org, and on the website of the Parliament of Andorra: www.consellgeneral.ad/oscepa-2017/. Additional related printed material will be given out at registration.

Photocopying machines will be at the disposal of attendees at the Centre de Congressos d’Andorra la Vella. Delegations are strongly advised to have their speeches reproduced in six copies and transmitted in advance through the Secretariat to the interpreters’ booths.

INTERPRETATION

During the meetings, simultaneous interpretation will be provided in all six official languages of the OSCE: English, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish. No translation service will be available.

CULTURAL PROGRAMME

On Thursday, 5 October 2017, in the afternoon, participants will take part in a cultural programme. More details will be provided in due course.

ACCOMPANYING PERSONS’ PROGRAMME

A programme for accompanying persons has been arranged while delegates are engaged in conference sessions and meetings. A detailed programme will be announced in due course.

Accompanying persons may participate in all events organized by the Andorran Parliament. Accompanying persons are kindly requested to sign up for excursions at the information points of their hotels at their arrival, and to wear their identity badges during every part of the general programme.   

INSURANCE

Personal and medical insurance is the responsibility of individual participants.

The host Parliament will not be responsible for any lost luggage, currency or personal effects, or any medical costs.

MEDICAL FACILITIES

Medical assistance will be available throughout the meetings. However, illness requiring medical treatment or hospitalization is the responsibility of the individual. Participants taking medicine should bring enough to cover their needs.

Please note that in case of medical emergency outside the Centre de Congressos d’Andorra la Vella or outside the hotels, outside working hours, the emergency line 116 is available for all the participants of the OSCE PA 2017 Autumn Meeting.

DRESS CODE

Business attire is required for formal occasions and most social events. Casual dress (jacket, no tie) is suitable for the cultural and for the accompanying persons’ programme.

CLIMATE AND TIME ZONE

Andorra la Vella lies 1000 meters above sea level. Andorra enjoys a mountain Mediterranean climate, a little bit cold but pleasant, with numerous sunny days (300 per year). The weather in Andorra is mostly variable in October : sunny periods can alternate with rainy episodes. Temperatures could be as low as 4 degrees Celsius at night and reach 24 degrees during the day.

From the end of March to the end of October, there is Summer time (CET + 1 hour).

CURRENCY AND BANKING

Andorra uses the euro (€). Most common credit cards are accepted everywhere. Cash can be withdrawn from ATM machines in the city anytime.

Banks are open from Monday to Friday, from 9:00 to 17:00. It is possible to exchange money at the Barcelona airport currency exchange points.

ELECTRICITY

The voltage in Andorra, as in most of Europe, is 230 V/50 Hz. Andorra uses European-type plugs (2-pin). A transformer and an adaptor may be necessary (to convert 3-pin plugs to 2-pin plugs).

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

The international code for Andorra is +376. Access to Wi-Fi will be available at the Centre de Congressos d’Andorra la Vella. Internet access by Wi-Fi will also be available in every hotel.

SPECIAL NEEDS

Secretaries of Delegations should inform Ms. Gemma Bosch (email: info@osceandorra.ad ) of guests with special needs in order to make necessary transportation and other arrangements in advance.

SMOKE-FREE POLICY

Smoking is forbidden in all public places, restaurants, bars, public transport, etc.

TOURISTIC INFORMATION

The multilingual website http://visitandorra.com/en/ contains touristic and practical information about Andorra.