WTO Members agreed on 10 February 2003 on registration
procedures for applications from NGOs wishing to attend the WTO's
Fifth Ministerial Conference. Applications will be accepted from NGOs
on the basis of Article V, paragraph 2 of the WTO Agreement, i.e. such
NGOs “concerned with matters related to those of the WTO”.
When filing their request for registration, NGOs must supply in
detail all necessary information indicating how they are concerned
with matters related to those of the WTO.
This procedure is waived for those NGOs registered for at least
two previous Ministerial Conferences held in Singapore (December 1996), Geneva (May 1998), Seattle (December 1999) or Doha (November 2001).
If your organization was registered at two previous Ministerial
Conferences, please indicate at which ones. NGOs that qualify are
still obliged to officially request registration and are subject to
all other procedures and deadlines that apply to NGOs requesting
attendance at the Fifth Ministerial Conference.
Requests for registration accompanied by the information requested
above, should be sent by mail (faxes and e-mails will
not be accepted) to:
External Relations Division
Centre William Rappard
154, rue de Lausanne
1211 Geneva 21
Switzerland
Registration requests must be received by 30 April 2003
(midnight, GMT). Requests for registration received after that
date will not be processed.
Confirmation of your organization's eligibility to register will be
sent, together with the individual registration forms, as from 31 May 2003.
In light of the expected interest among NGOs in attending the
Cancún Ministerial Conference, a limit may have to be placed on the
number of representatives per NGO delegation. This information will be
provided in the letter confirming registration eligibility.
Once individual registration forms have been received
and completed they should be returned to the above address as soon as
possible and in any case not later than 30 June 2003
(midnight, GMT)
Please note that:
-
All forms are numbered and cannot be copied; only authentic and
duly signed originals will be accepted;
-
Incomplete forms will not be accepted; all information requested
has to be provided, including recent and original passport size
photographs.
As from 1 August 2003, NGOs will receive confirmation
of registration. On that basis, badges will be made available in
Cancún which allow access to all official Ministerial related venues.
