Information note
COP 23 · Portorož · Slovenia · Hotel Bernardin
5. – 8. December 2023
1. VENUE OF THE MEETING
Grand Hotel Bernardin *****
Address: Grand Hotel Bernardin, Obala 2, 6320 Portorož
Telephone: +386 5 695 1000
Website: https:/www.hoteli-bernardin.si/en/accommodations/st-bernardin-resort/grand-hotel-bernardin
Grand Hotel Bernardin is located between Piran (1,3 km) and Portorož (1,8 km). Piran is a historic town of 3500 inhabitants, dominated by the Venetian architectural style. It is a historical, cultural, and administrative center with a rich traditional culinary offer. Portoroz is a tourist center dominated by hotels, bars, restaurants, and shops. Both places can be reached by foot, taxi, or public transport.
2. REGISTRATION IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETINGS
Access to the venue is restricted to participants who have pre-registered to the online via the following link: https://indico.un.org/e/COP23
2.1 Access to Venue – Badge Issuance
We encourage delegates to obtain their conference badge/register prior to the morning of 5 December to reduce the lineups on the day of the official opening. To this end, registration
will be open on 4 December from 17:00 to 20:00. Please note the operating hours of the registration counter listed below
3. DOCUMENTS & STATEMENTS
3.1 Documents
In order to minimize the negative environmental impact of the Meetings, the meeting will be paperless, with no distribution of hard copies of pre-session documents and to the extent
possible of in-session documents.
To facilitate a paperless meeting, representatives are strongly encouraged to follow the bellow instructions:
- Each representative is advised to bring a laptop computer, which should be pre-checked for viruses prior to arrival at the meeting.
- Laptops should be configured for a standard wireless (wi-fi) connection. If in doubt, please check with your local information technology expert.
- Each representative should bring an appropriate adaptor to enable laptops to be connected to EU power sockets.
- Each representative should include a current e-mail address when completing the online registration form in order to be able to receive correspondence about the meeting.
3.2 Statements
To assist with the interpretation process, delegates wishing to make interventions during official sessions of the Meetings are strongly encouraged to submit their statements to
nathalie.gomez@un.org, ilias.mavroeidis@un.org and sophia.betancourtkaltsidou@un.org in advance of delivery. The statement should include the following information in its header
and filename:
- Party/organization name,
- Identify session of intervention: e.g. Plenary,
- Date and time of intervention,
- Agenda item number.
4. HOTELS INFORMATION
Participants are kindly requested to make their own hotel reservations. The Host Country has negotiated special rates for COP23 delegates in the following 2 hotels:
| Hotel | Rates single room | Rates double room | To access negotiated rates | Distance from venue of the meeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Hotel Bernardin 5* | 112 EUR (per night) | 122 EUR (per night) | RESERVATION | 0 m |
| Hotel Histrion 4* | 102 EUR (per night) | 112 EUR (per night) | RESERVATION | 300 m |
NOTE: Rates are on a bed & breakfast basis.
OPTION: Lunch Break: Due to a big inquiry lunch will be organized at the hotel for a special price. Before last step reserving a room, you will be able to mark the days you want to have lunch at the hotel.
ADDITIONAL CHARGE: tourist tax 2,50 € per person per night; registration fee 1 €
5. GENERAL INFORMATION ACCESS FROM AIRPORTS
Nearby International airports from Portoroz :
Trieste: 70 km
Ljubljana: 150km
Venice: 200km
The Host Country will provide free bus transportation for all registered participants:
- on 4 December 2023 from Ljubljana, Trieste and Venice airports to Portoroz; and
- on 9 December 2023 from Portoroz to Ljubljana, Trieste and Venice airports.
Delegates wishing to benefit free transfer from/to nearby airports are kindly invited to register by Friday 24 November 2023 at the latest via:
Transfer – COP23 (cop23-slovenia.com)
Participants who will not choose to use the group transport, provided by the Host Country, may arrange their transport from the airport to Izola through the website:
https://www.goopti.com/en/
NOTE: The carrier can provide either regular shared transportation (with other passengers) or private transportation. The earlier transportation is booked, the better the price.
You may also arrange your transfer by taxi through websites:
https://slovenia-taxi.si
https://www.taxi-koper.si/
6. VISA AND ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
All participants should ensure that they are in possession of necessary entry and/or transit visas prior to their departure. Whilst the Secretariat may attempt to facilitate the process,
final responsibility to obtain any required visa shall rest with the participant.
Accredited delegates requiring a visa are to register to the meeting registration portal and submit their visa applications at the relevant diplomatic mission as a matter of urgency:
Visa Application files should include:
For representatives of Contracting Parties:
- a diplomatic note with the names of delegation members.
- a personal invitation by the host country, Slovenia (received after registration),
- a personal invitation by the UNEP-MAP Secretariat (received after registration),
For representative of governmental and non-governmental organisations with the observer status:
- an official appointment of the representative by the organisation concerned,
- a personal invitation by the host country, Slovenia (received after registration),
- a personal invitation by the UNEP-MAP Secretariat (received after registration),
For Accredited Media Representative:
- an official appointment of the representative by the Media house concerned and accreditation by UNEP/MAP,
- a personal invitation by the host country, Slovenia (received after registration),
- a personal invitation by the UNEP-MAP Secretariat (received after registration),
Slovenian representations by countries
ALGERIA
The Embassy of Austria in Algeria is responsible for issuing visa to enter Slovenia.
EGYPT
Holders of official, diplomatic, and special passports are subject to a visa-free regime. They do not need a visa to enter Slovenia.
The Embassy of Slovenia in Cairo is responsible for issuing visa to enter Slovenia for those who do not fall under the exception.
LEBANON
The Embassy of Hungary in Beirut is responsible for issuing visa to enter Slovenia.
LIBYA
The Embassy of Austria in Tripoli is responsible for issuing visa to enter Slovenia.
MOROCCO
Holders of official and diplomatic passports are subject to a visa-free regime. They do not need a visa to enter Slovenia.
The Embassy of Hungary in Rabat is responsible for issuing visa to enter Slovenia for those who do not fall under the exception.
SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIQUE
The Embassy of Austria in Damascus is responsible for issuing visa to enter Slovenia.
TUNISIA
Holders of official and diplomatic passports are subject to a visa-free regime. They do not need a visa to enter Slovenia.
The Embassy of Austria in Tunis is responsible for issuing visa to enter Slovenia for those who do not fall under the exception.
TÜRKIYE
Holders of official, diplomatic, and special passports are subject to a visa-free regime. They do not need a visa to enter Slovenia.
The Embassy of Slovenia in Ankara is responsible for issuing visa to enter Slovenia for those who do not fall under the exception.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Holders of official, diplomatic, or special passports who under an exception do not require a visa to enter Slovenia are recommended to come to Slovenia directly or to arrive from a
third country (non- EU member state). Visas are not required by citizens of Member-States of the Schengen Agreement.
For further information please visit Information about Slovenian representations abroad and foreign representations in Slovenia and visa requirements by country:
https://www.gov.si/en/representations/
7. DAILY SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE (DSA) AND FLIGHT TICKETS FOR PARTICIPANTS
WHOSE TRAVEL IS COVERED BY UNEP/MAP
Daily subsistence allowance : approx. USD270/day (October rate)
Terminal expenses : USD252
7.1 Daily Subsistence Allowance and terminal expenses : are disbursed via wire transfer (75% before the meeting if bank details and requested documents provided well in advance,
and the remaining amount after the meeting and subject to the submission of the Travel Claim Form and original boarding passes).
7.2 Air ticket : Air tickets are issued from the participants’ home city to the venue city. The United Nations is authorizing the lowest applicable airfare in connection with the upcoming
official travel and the UN’s travel agency is contractually obligated to book the lowest priced applicable itinerary. Personal deviation-related transactions are between the meeting
participant and the travel agent. In case of personal deviation, it will be required from the meeting participant to pay any difference in cost of travel between the official authorized
itinerary and his personal deviation and any associated agent fees/service charges directly to the travel agent, and after issuance of the official ticket offered in view of the relevant
meeting that the participant is to attend. The Organization will not prepay any deviation charges and seek reimbursement of same from the meeting participant thereafter.
7.3 Disbursement of per diem is subject to the submission on the 1st day of attendance to Mr Apostolos Apostolopoulos (apostolos.apostolopoulos@un.org) in Portoroz of the
following documents :
- Photocopy of the visa, departing taxes and related fees when applicable.
- Boarding pass(es) hard copy or via email
- Copy of train, air ticket etc if purchased by the meeting participant when applicable.
- Original invoice(s) and proof of payment air ticket, train ticket and other claimed expenses when applicable
8. TRAVEL GUIDANCE
8.1 CURRENCY
The currency in Slovenia is Euro (€, EUR). The exchange rate is approximately 0.948 to the US Dollar (UN Operational Rates of Exchange – October 2023). Local currency can be
obtained at exchange offices or at ATMs at the airport and also in Portoroz City Centre.
8.2 POWER SUPPLY
Power supply is 220/240 volt/60 Hertz. Plugs and sockets use the two-pin type.
8.3 TIME ZONE AND CLIMATE
Time zone: Current time zone is UTC/GMT + 2 hours (EEST — Eastern European Summer Time)
Climate: Slovenia has a Sub-Mediterranean climate. In December, daytime temperatures can reach 6-8°C with on average 9 hours of sunshine per day.
8.4 TOURISM INFORMATION
Please see detailed information at the following website:
Banks are mostly open from 8:00 to 16:00 from Monday to Friday. Shopping centers and Supermarkets are open from 8:00 to 20:00, from Monday to Saturday
and are closed on Sunday.
9. CONTACT PERSONS FOR THE MEETINGS:
For substantive related issues :
Mr. Ilias Mavroeidis
Programme Management Officer
Governance
Tel: + 30 2107273132
E-mail: ilias.mavroeidis@un.org
Ms. Polonca Skendzic
Liaison officer – Governance
Tel:+30 210 72 73 129
E-mail: polonca.skendzic@un.org
Ms. Elli Sfyroeras
Programme Management Assistant – Governance
Tel: +30 210 72 73 129
E-mail: elli.sfyroeras@un.org
For disbursement of travel expenses :
Mr. Apostolos Apostolopoulos
Travel Assistant
Tel: +30 210 72 73 139
E-mail: apostolos.apostolopoulos@un.org