Notification to the Parties

CONCERNING:

Nineteenth meeting of the Animals Committee

1. The Secretariat hereby informs all Parties that the 19th meeting of the Animals Committee will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 18 to 21 August 2003. The meeting will take place at the following address:

Centre international de conférences de Genève (CICG)
Rue de Varembé 15
1211 GENEVA 20
Switzerland.

2. Parties interested in knowing more about the subjects for discussion are invited to contact either the Secretariat or the Chairman directly at the following address:

Dr Thomas ALTHAUS
Chairman of the CITES Animals Committee
Federal Veterinary Office
Schwarzenburgstr. 161
CH-3097 LIEBEFELD-BERN
Switzerland

Tel: +41 (31) 323 85 08
Fax: +41 (31) 323 85 22
Email: thomas.althaus@bvet.admin.ch

3. Parties are invited to participate as observers. The Registration form attached should be returned to the Secretariat no later than 4 August 2003.

4. Observers from non-governmental organizations may participate in this meeting at the invitation of the Chairman. Requests should be sent to the Chairman at the address indicated in paragraph 2 above at least 30 days before the meeting, that is by 19 July 2003.

5. Simultaneous interpretation in the three working languages of the Convention will be provided for the duration of the meeting.

6. Details on hotels will be provided to those who return the Registration form attached to the present Notification. This information will also be posted on the CITES website: (www.cites.org) as soon as it is available.

7. The Management Authority of Switzerland is organizing several excursions for participants in the meeting at no cost to the participants. Those interested are requested to complete and return the attached document Proposed excursions for AC19 and PC13 as soon as possible, but no later than 11 July 2003.

8. The Secretariat reminds participants that they may require visas. In order to facilitate the process of obtaining them, they may wish to submit a copy of this Notification together with their visa application.

9. Documents to be considered at this meeting must be provided to the Secretariat at least 90 days before the meeting, that is by 20 May 2003. Documents received after this date will not be translated and will be distributed at the meeting as information documents in the language in which they were received. As for meetings of the Conference of the Parties, documents submitted should not be longer than 12 pages.

10. Documents for the meeting will be placed on the CITES website as they become available. Printed copies of all documents available will be sent to members and alternate members of the Animals Committee by 4 July 2003. The Secretariat will also provide copies by post or by email to any pre-registered participant for the meeting who requests them. However, in order to make savings on printing costs, the Secretariat will not distribute sets of documents at the meeting. Consequently, all participants are requested to bring their own set.

11. A copy of the Rules of Procedure of the Animals Committee adopted at its 18th meeting is provided with this Notification.

12. Finally, the Secretariat informs Parties that there will be a meeting of the Nomenclature Committee (fauna) on Tuesday 19 August 2003 at 18h00. The provisional agenda is attached to this Notification.