ELSA Delegations · These Guidelines are based on the previous editions of ELSA International Delegation’s Handbook. The first edition of the Guidelines for ELSA Delegations

ELSA DelegationsGuidelines for ELSA Delegations to theWorld Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

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Guidelines for ELSA Delegations to WIPO

These Guidelines are based on the previous editions of ELSA International Delegation’s Handbook. The first edition of the Guidelines for ELSA Delegations to WIPO is a result of a joint collaborative work of:

Horiana Secară, Director for Delegations 2013/14/15;

Eliana Rocchi, Coordinator for Delegations to WIPO 2013/14.

Updated by: Evgenia Podgorbunskikh, Director for Delegations 2016/17; Felix Meyer, Coordinator for WIPO 2016/17.

The authors express their sincere gratitude to:

§ Nigel Micallef, Vice President Seminars and Conferences of ELSA International 2016/17; § Ana Roce, Vice President Seminars and Conferences of ELSA International 2013/14; § All the former delegates for their much appreciated inputs in matters of information given,

suggestions and constructive critics.

Useful contacts:

Vice President of Seminars and Conferences at ELSA International: [email protected]

Director for Delegations: [email protected]

Coordinator for Delegations to WIPO: [email protected]

ELSA International

239, Boulevard Général Jacques

B-1050 Brussels

Belgium

E-mail: [email protected]

Tel: +32 2 646 26 26

Fax: +32 2 646 29


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Table of Contents

Introduction 4 I. About the European Law Students´ Association 4 II. ELSA and International Organisations 5 III. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) 6 IV. General Rules of Procedures for Observers in WIPO 8 V. Task Description of ELSA Delegates 9 VI. General Rules of Conduct 10

Attendance 10 Business Cards 10 Dress Code 10 Making a Statement 11 Letter of Confirmation 11 The Survey 12 Certificate of Participation 12

VII. Geneva 12 ELSA Geneva 12 General Information 12 Official Websites 13 Accommodation 13 Airport and Flights 15 Public Transportation 15 Meals 16 Opening Times for Shopping 16 Currency Exchange 16 Emergency Phone Numbers 16

VIII. Fundraising 17 IX. Experiences and Tips of Former Delegates 18 X. ELSA Groups & ELSA Delegations 21


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Introduction

The aim of these guidelines is to give you all the information you need in order to help you prepare for the WIPO Meetings you were appointed and to represent ELSA properly. Any relevant feedback or questions are encouraged, in order to improve this Guide for future delegates.

I. About the European Law Students´ Association1

ELSA (The European Law Students' Association) is an international, independent, non-political, non-profit-making organization run by and for students. It is comprised of students and recent graduates who are interested in academic and personal excellence in addition to their studies at their universities. ELSA offers law students a perfect platform to develop their existing skills, acquire new skills and meet fellow students and legal professionals throughout Europe.

Five law students from Austria, Hungary, Poland and West Germany founded ELSA in 1981. Today ELSA is the world’s largest independent law students association and it is represented at nearly 375 law faculties in 43 countries across Europe with membership in excess of 50 000 students and young lawyers.

ELSA-activities comprise a large variety of academic and professional events and projects that are organized to fulfil the vision of ELSA and in order to provide our members opportunities to enhance their skills and to interact with each other. Furthermore ELSA provides law students opportunities to develop their skills through our traineeship program as well as through our publications. Finally working in the ELSA Network prepares active members of ELSA for their professional life through international experience gained through the association.

Vision

“A just world in which there is respect for human dignity and cultural diversity”

Purpose

The purpose is to contribute to legal education, to foster mutual understanding and to promote social responsibility of law students and young lawyers by:

a) providing opportunities for law students and young lawyers to learn about other cultures and legal systems in a spirit of critical dialogue and scientific co-operation.

b) assisting law students and young lawyers to be internationally minded and professionally skilled. c) encouraging law students and young lawyers to act for the good of society.

To read more about ELSA, please visit our website: www.elsa.org

1 Information was taken from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Law_Students%27_Association, last seen on 25th

November 2016.


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II. ELSA and International Organisations

The European Law Students’ Association has gained a notable name and reputation in the international community. ELSA is well-known in the world of international organisations and ELSA still makes international institutions aware of the fact that in case they are looking for a partner among students’ organisations for cooperation, there is ELSA to rely on. ELSA aspires to be the student partner of the legal profession in Europe (and beyond its borders), as well as of international organisations.

ELSA has a special status and cooperation with:

§ UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO);

§ UN Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC);

§ UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL);

§ UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC);

§ Council of Europe;

§ Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR);

§ World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO);

§ Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD);

§ Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC).

ELSA Delegations

ELSA Delegations are regulated in the Decision Book under Institutional Relations and in the Guidelines for the selection of ELSA Delegations.

The delegations are appointed by the International Board of ELSA International according to the candidates’ qualifications, contribution to the ELSA network and motivation.

The applicant:

§ shall be a member of ELSA or its alumni organisation;

§ should have a solid ELSA background and an active participation in ELSA’s activities;

§ should have an academic competence in the field of law connected to the work of the institution and the topic of the event;

It is up to the discretion of ELSA International to appoint the members of the Delegation, using the principles of objectivity, neutrality and equality.

Our Special Status

ELSA has gained consultative status with several United Nations’ bodies. In 1994 ELSA was granted Consultative Status in Category C in UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in 1997 ELSA obtained Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council


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(UN ECOSOC) and Consultative Status with the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). Furthermore, ELSA has a co-operation agreement with OHCHR. In 2000 ELSA was granted participatory status with the Council of Europe, which was widened with the Human Rights Partnership between Council of Europe and ELSA in 2008. In October 2005, ELSA finally obtained Observer Status with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

III. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property (IP) system, which rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and contributes to economic development while safeguarding the public interest. WIPO was established by the WIPO Convention in 1967 with a mandate from its Member States to promote the protection of IP throughout the world through cooperation among states and in collaboration with other international organizations. ELSA obtained Observer Status with the WIPO in October 2005.

Location:

World Intellectual Property Organization

34, chemin des Colombettes

CH-1211 Geneva 20

Switzerland

More information on www.wipo.int.

WIPO Decision-Making Bodies2

WIPO’s Member States determine the strategic direction and activities of the Organization. They meet in the Assemblies, Committees and Working groups (WIPO decision-making bodies). Decision-making bodies can be divided as following:

§ Governing Bodies § Standing Committees § Permanent Committees § Working Groups § Diplomatic Conferences

2 Source: http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/index.html#bodies, last visited on 25th November 2016.


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1. The Governing Bodies are WIPO’s highest decision-making bodies. They traditionally meet in September/October each year in either ordinary or extraordinary session. − The WIPO General Assembly and the Assemblies of the member states of each Union (e.g. the

PCT Union Assembly) − The WIPO Coordination Committee − The WIPO Conference

2. WIPO Standing Committees are ad hoc committees of experts. Standing committees are established

by a decision of the WIPO General Assembly for a given purpose.

a. Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) was created in 1998 to serve as a forum to discuss issues, facilitate coordination and provide guidance concerning the progressive international development of patent law. By dealing with clusters of interlocking issues rather than working in isolation on single issues, it is intended to provide member states with an effective mechanism for setting priorities and allocating resources, and ensure the coordination and continuity of interrelated, on-going work. Since the sixteenth session in 2011, the SCP has been discussing the following five substantive topics:

- Exceptions and limitations to patent rights; - Technology transfer; - Quality of patents, including opposition systems; - Confidentiality of communications between patent advisors and their clients; - Patents and health.

b. Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT) was created in 1998 to serve as a forum to discuss issues, facilitate coordination and provide guidance on the progressive development of international law on trademarks, industrial designs and geographical indications, including the harmonization of national laws and procedures.

c. Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) was set up in the 1998-1999 biennium to examine matters of substantive law or harmonization in the field of copyright and related rights. The Committee is composed of all member states of WIPO and/or of the Berne Union; and, as observers, certain member states of the United Nations (UN) which are non-members of WIPO and/or the Berne Union, as well as a number of intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The Standing Committee formulates recommendations for consideration by the WIPO General Assembly or a Diplomatic Conference. The Committee is currently engaged in discussing:

− Limitations and exceptions − Broadcasting organizations

d. Committee on WIPO Standards (CWS) is the collaborative international forum for discussing and reaching agreement on WIPO Standards, their revision and development, as well as on other matters relating to industrial property information and documentation. It was created by WIPO member states at the General Assembly held in 2009.WIPO Standards contain recommendations on various aspects of patents, trademarks and industrial designs and are directed to any interested party producing or using such information.

3. Permanent Committees can be constituted by any of the Governing Bodies as required as they did with the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP).


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4. Working Groups can be established by a decision of a Standing Committee or other bodies in order to examine a particular question more detailed. The Working Group on the Digital Access Service for Priority Document (DAS) is established due to that reason.

5. Diplomatic Conferences are high level meetings of member states, convened with the sole purpose of finalizing negotiations on a new treaty. If one of the Standing or Permanent Committees determines that sufficient progress has been made to move towards treaty adoption, the General Assembly can decide to convene a Diplomatic Conference.

ELSA Delegations sent to WIPO

ELSA sends delegations to the following WIPO bodies:

- Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP);

- Standing Committee on the Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR);

- Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT);

- Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC);

- Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP);

- Provisional Committee on the Proposals Related to the WIPO Development Agenda (PCDA);

- Working Group on the Digital Access Service for Priority Document (DAS).

IV. General Rules of Procedures for Observers in WIPO3

Observers at WIPO have to respect different Rules of Procedures for Observers when they are participating in the sessions. In the following chapter the most important rules will be clarified by printing the important extractions.

Chapter II: Participation in Sessions

Rule 8: Observers

a) The Director General shall invite such States and intergovernmental organizations to be presented as observers as are entitled to observers status under a treaty or agreement.

b) In addition, each body shall decide, in a general way or for any particular session or meeting, which other states and organizations shall be invited to be represented as observers.

3 Extracts from the general rules of procedure of WIPO as adopted on 28 September 1970, and amended on 27 November 1973, 5 October 1976 and 2 October 1979.


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c) Observers shall be accredited by the competent authority of their State or the competent representative of their organization, in a letter, note or telegram addressed to the Director General; if they represent a State, such communication shall preferably be effected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Chapter V: Conduct of Business

Rule 24: Observers

(1) Observers may take part in debates at the invitation of the Chairman.

(2) The may not submit proposals, amendments or motions.

Chapter VI: Voting

Rule 39: Observers

Observers shall not have the right to vote.

For more information, please visit: www.wipo.int

V. Task Description of ELSA Delegates

It is a great honour that ELSA has a consultative status at UNCITRAL, an honour which comes with great opportunities and responsibilities for each participant of a delegation. To cope with this responsibility that each delegation member has, some rules should urgently be considered while participating as a delegate in a session:

1) Representing ELSA International diligently in a professional manner;

2) Be academically well-prepared, get familiar with the main points of the respective session and related documents;

3) Observe the proceedings of the event, attend all meetings and prepare working materials if requested;

4) Carry out legal research in the framework of the events on the legal topics;

5) Distribute revised editions of relevant ELSA materials to other delegations and organisations;

6) Inform ELSA International in advance of any official positions or statements the Delegation wishes to make, attaching a summary of the scientific background (the positions or statements can be announced only after the approval of ELSA International);

7) Attend briefings and meetings organised by the Head of Delegation and report all activities carried out;

8) Forward all the contacts made during the event to ELSA International to ensure that the Network can benefit from them;


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9) Give feedback to ELSA by filling the survey that the academic coordinators will make available to you, within a month after the end of the event;

The HoD is responsible for the delegation and due to this special responsibility different aspects should be considered:

- Ensure that the work of the Delegation is conducted in accordance with the aim and purpose of ELSA and with the Institutional Relations regulations of the Council Meeting Decision Book;

- Co-ordinate and prepare the delegation academically;

- Ensure high quality work and appearance during the event;

- Ensure that the survey is submitted on time to ELSA International.

VI. General Rules of Conduct

Attendance

It is extremely important that every delegate attends all the sessions, in order to show a professional and serious image towards the institutions and organisations. Skipping sessions does not leave a good impression among the other delegates and it is harmful for ELSA’s reputation. It is the Head of Delegation’s responsibility to check the attendance.

At the end of the first day or on the second day of the session, a list of participants should be made available to the delegates at the registry. The Head of Delegation should make sure that names of all delegates are spelt correctly. If some of the delegates were not able to actually take part in the delegation, the Head of Delegation should ask in person at the registry to delete the respective name from the list.

Business Cards

Especially the Head of Delegation should have business cards when attending the meeting, since it is most likely that you will receive business cards from the other participants. You should print the business cards yourself. The Academic Coordinator will provide you with a template.

Dress Code4

The clothes that delegates use during the sessions should be formal. The primary objective of the dress code is to show a professional image outwardly by wearing a unified outfit. This will also create a team atmosphere among the delegates.

4 These recommendations are from the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA). For further information, please visit: www.unausa.org


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Suits

A suit always looks professional and is the best option. Be sure to keep suits clean and wrinkle-free.

Shirts & Tops

Males should wear a collared button-down shirt. Females may wear a blouse, sweater or button-down shirt. Dresses are also appropriate as long as they are adequate in length (see the rules set for skirt length). No T-Shirts.

Pants & Bottoms

Slacks and suit pants are acceptable, preferably in dark colours. Females may wear skirts but should also wear pantyhose or stockings. Skirts should not be more than two inches above the knee. No jeans or shorts.

Shoes

Females may wear high-heels but they may prove uncomfortable after some time. Open-toe shoes are not recommended. Males should wear dress shoes. No sneakers or flip-flops.

Hair

The hair should be kept professional at all times; hair style should not detract from the overall appearance.

Jewellery & Piercings

Piercings on face that is not for cultural purposes or on the ears, it is best to remove the rings or studs during the conference for a professional presentation.

Making a Statement

ELSA is an independent and entirely non-political association. Through the sending of delegations to various institutions ELSA provides a forum for its members to take part in the work of international institutions, thus providing an opportunity to broaden the participants' legal and cultural understanding. The contribution in working groups and assembly sessions should from an official ELSA point of view be strictly academic, through for example input on various legal aspects of a topic or similar. Any statement submitted will be seen as the official standpoint of ELSA’s 43 National groups. Therefore, a statement is only allowed to contain objective and neutral legal input or legal opinions on a certain matter discussed at the session in order not to compromise ELSA’s non-political status. This cannot be stressed enough. ELSA should not take part in making policy guiding decisions.

Letter of Confirmation

After their appointment, Delegates may request a Confirmation Letter from ELSA International confirming their appointment as ELSA Delegate for fundraising purpose. Names of all delegates and their national ELSA groups will be mentioned in the Letter.


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The Survey

After the end of the Sessions of the respective delegation an online survey shall be conducted. The aim of the survey is to document your experience, to create a database which can help us improve our practice and create the premises for an enhanced experience for future delegates.

Certificate of Participation

After the survey is sent to the Academic Coordinator, checked and accepted by ELSA International, the Delegates may request a Certificate of Participation from ELSA International. The Certificate of Participation confirms that the Delegate fulfilled his/her duties related to the participation in the delegation and completed the Survey. The Certificate is individual and contains only the name of the requesting Delegate.

VII. Geneva

ELSA Genève

c/o Faculté de Droit de l'Université de 40, Boulevard du Pont-d'Arve

1211 Genève

Switzerland

E-mail: info(at)elsa-geneva.org

Web-page: www.elsa-geneve.org

General Information5

Geneva is the second most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French-speaking part of Switzerland). Situated where the Rhône River exits Lake Geneva (in French also known as Lac Léman), it is the capital of the Republic and Canton of Geneva. While the municipality itself (city centre) has a population (as of 31 December 2015) of 198,072, the metropolitan area has 1,500,000 residents, according to a 2015 census.

Geneva is a global city, a financial centre, a worldwide centre for diplomacy and the most important international co-operation centre with New York because of the presence of numerous international organisations, including the headquarters of many of the agencies of the United Nations and the Red Cross. It is also the place where the Geneva Conventions were signed, which chiefly concerns the treatment of wartime non-combatants and prisoners of war.

Geneva has been described as the third European financial centre after London and Zürich, and the world's ninth most important financial centre by the Global Financial Centres Index, ahead of Frankfurt and Sydney, and a 2009 survey by Mercer found Geneva to have the third-highest quality of life of any city in the world

5 Source: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva, last seen on 23rd November 2016.


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(narrowly outranked by Zürich). The city has been referred to as the world's most compact metropolis and the ‘Peace Capital'. In 2009 and 2011, Geneva was ranked as, respectively, the fourth and the fifth most expensive city in the world.

Official Sites

www.geneva.ch

www.ville-ge.ch

www.geneve-tourisme.ch

Accommodation

1. Short-term Apartments:

www.airbnb.com

www.genprop.ch

www.residence-meubles.ch

www.citybaseapartments.com

www.homelidays.co.uk

2. Hostels and Residences:

City Hostel Geneva: www.cityhostel.ch

§ The booking at this hostel is free. Payment is made on the first day of arrival.

§ The hostel has:

- a kitchen on each floor with cooking facilities and refrigerators (it decreases the costs of living in Geneva);

- adapters for Swiss sockets available for refundable deposit; - sink, desk and personal lockers in each room; - irons in the bathrooms and an iron desk in the basement; - a football table, TV and sofas in the basement.

Geneva Youth Hostel: www.genevahostel.ch

§ The hostel has been completely renewed in 2013;

§ The hostel provides free breakfasts (the price of breakfast is included into the price of stay). Breakfast usually consists of cornflakes, yoghurt, sliced meat, bread, butter, jam and hot and cold drinks;

§ Free individual lockers are included, either inside or right outside the rooms. Each bed is equipped


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with individual lighting and power outlet

§ Holders of Hostelling International cards (HI-cards) get a discount. HI-card can be purchased in any hostel which belongs to Hostelling International network (in many countries the cost of HI-card is much cheaper than in Switzerland).

§ There is a Laundry room and a Picnic room with microwaves, but not a proper kitchen. Meals are available at affordable prices.

Both hostels are located close to the train station and 3 tram stops from UN headquarter (tram stop named ‘Nations’). The hostels provide maps of Geneva, all the linen and the Free Geneva Transport Card (free transportation by all kinds of municipal transport throughout the stay). On the day of return by air, this card enables to return to the airport too.

The hostels provide wireless Internet connection as well..

Mandat International: www.mandint.org

If you are looking for an accommodation where to meet other delegates and exchange views and opinions especially with delegates from developing countries, then Mandat is the right solution for you.

Mandat International is not a hostel, but a place to support the participation of the developing countries and promote cooperation among delegates. The house was recently renovated thanks to the volunteers and an important part of the work relies on volunteer devotion.

In the house there is also a documentation center with more than 10.000 books, 200 magazines, etc. at your disposal. Furthermore, every day you can find newspapers in the hall.

Mandat International is not in the center of Geneva and can be easily reached by bus from the railway station (Cornavin) or from the Nations (bus V to the stop «Valadran»). Furthermore, Mandat provides for a free shuttle bus twice in the morning and once in the evening between the house and the Nations.

§ Breakfast is included in the price, as well as tea and coffee that are available all the time; § There is a small kitchen at your disposal and you can have dinner prepared for a certain price; § Internet WiFi is free and there are also computers available 24 hours a day; § There is a conference room for about 20 persons; § Photocopies and adapters are available at the reception on additional price.

Home Saint Pierre: www.homestpierre.ch

Home Saint Pierre is a residence located in the touristic old center of Geneva, one of the beautiful places in town, near the Saint Pierre Cathedral, the City Hall, the Museum of Art and History etc. This residence has more than 130 years of history and since the beginning it was dedicated to provide accommodation for girls who came to study in this city.

Home Saint Pierre has two buildings, one with single or double rooms (for more than 1 month of accommodation) and another one with two dormitories (on the ground floor). In the dormitory you can stay for short periods (1 day – 1 month). The booking at Home Saint Pierre is free. You will have to fill in


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an accommodation request (you can find it on their website). In case of cancellation you will be charged depending on the reservation made.

Hostel Home Saint Pierre is 5 minutes away from ‘Place de Neuve’. At the end of the hill, there’s a bus station and No. 5 goes to ‘Bel-Air – Cornavin – Nations – the Airport’. The hostel is also 10 minutes away from the tram station ‘Plainpalais’. Trams No. 13 and 15 are going to Nations; a stop after Cornavin, you will find 2 supermarkets where you can do your daily shopping.

3. Other:

www.hostelworld.com

www.glocals.com (section ‘Classifieds’)

http://www.etaphotel.com (low-cost hotel)

www.unige.ch/dife/bulog/offresenligne.html (information about private accommodation in Geneva provided by the University of Geneva)

Airport and Flights

www.skyscanner.net

www.easyjet.com

www.flysas.com

www.airbaltic.com

The International Airport of Geneva opens at 5 a.m. and closes at midnight: www.gva.ch. On arrival by air a free ‘Unireso’ ticket can be taken from the ticket machine (baggage recovery area). The ticket enables its holder to take a train from the airport to the central train station ‘Cornavin’ of Geneva (www.cff.ch) and to use public transport in Geneva city for 80 minutes.

Public Transportation

Buses and trams start running around 5.30 a.m. and stop around 00.30 a.m. Trams number 13 and 15 (direction ‘Nations’) go to the stop ‘Nations’ located right near WIPO and UN headquarters. These trams stop at the central train station (‘Cornavin’) and close to City Hostel Geneva and Youth Hostel Geneva.

Buses 5 (direction ‘Aéroport’ or ‘Palexpo’), 8 (direction ‘OMS’), F (direction ‘Ferney’) and Z (direction ‘Bois-Chatton’) pass the stop ‘Nations’.

If you are coming to WIPO directly from the airport you may take bus 5 (direction ‘Hopital’) or 28 (direction ‘Jardin Botanique’) and exit at the stop ‘Nations’.

Detailed information about timetable and prices can be found at: www.tpg.ch


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Meals

Restaurants:

www.resto.ch

www.geneverestaurants.ch

In general, Geneva is quite an expensive city. When you are visiting WIPO, the best places to have ordinary lunch (not street food) for a reasonable price are the canteens at the WIPO buildings. WIPO headquarters have three canteens - one in the PCT building, one in the Procter & Gamble (P&G) building and one in the new building (the one with the library). Both canteens are located on the ground floor. The canteen in the PCT building is relatively cheaper. Approximate cost of a meal is 10-15 CHF.

Important, it is possible to pay only with cash (Swiss francs or Euros) in the canteens. Usually, it is relatively cheaper to pay in Swiss francs.

Canteens are open during the lunch-time only (normally, after 2:30 p.m. there is no food except some snacks and drinks). On the 13th floor of the AB building (the main, tower-shaped building at which sessions are usually held) is a restaurant and a few vending machines with snacks. The vending area is open until the midnight. In Geneva, most of supermarkets are open until 7 p.m. Alcoholic drinks are not sold in grocery shops after 10 p.m.

Timetable of some of the supermarkets in the city center

- Migros (07:00-10:00; Saturday until 18:00; Sunday closed); - Coop (08:00-19:00; Saturday until 18:00; Sunday closed; nearby City Hostel Geneva and Geneva

Youth Hostel); - Lidl (Mon-Wed 08:00-19:00; Thu 08:00-21:00; Saturday until 18:00; Sunday closed; nearby City

Hostel and Geneva Youth Hostel); - Aperto (06:00-22:00; open every day; inside the main train station).

Currency Exchange

Currency of Switzerland is Swiss franc (currency designator CHF). You might need to buy some Swiss francs in order, for example, to pay at WIPO canteens or to buy tickets for public transportation. The cheapest places for currency exchange are post offices. There is a post office not far from the central train station at Rue du Mont-Blanc.

Emergency Phone Numbers

Police: 117

Fire brigade: 118

Ambulance: 144

Poisoning: 145


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VIII. Fundraising

Since a participation in a delegation can be pricey, the delegates may consider to get fundraised.

Where?

1) Foundations (consult your local/national ELSA officers);

2) Government – Public administration;

3) NGOs;

4) Law firms;

5) Universities;

6) ELSA Network (your own group and the LG of the location for accommodation).

What to offer?

1) As a certificate being accepted to the delegation, you will receive a Letter of Confirmation;

2) Cooperation with LG – long term/wider scope;

3) Direct/exclusive information;

4) Distribute university materials;

5) Appearance in ELSA Materials;

6) Personal report – summary;

7)Promotion;

8)Contacts – speakers;

9) Materials.

Important:

Remember to consult your local ELSA group before approaching law firms – remember the fundraising regulations of ELSA! If you manage to get a sponsor, remember to thank them afterwards and send a professional report with pictures.


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IX. Experiences and Tips of Former Delegates

General Preparation

Remember, in any conference you will attend as an ELSA delegate there are lots of other delegates from other NGOs. Ensure you know ELSA´s stand on the issue, whether it has any particular focus on this issue, and whether it has sent previous delegations to the institution. It would be very embarrassing if delegates have prior knowledge about ELSA and it contradicts what you say. One such point would be the IFP (International Focus Programme), and the EMC² (ELSA Moot Court Competition: www.elsamootcourt.org).

Do not underestimate, many people have been judges before, so at least understand where the previous EMC²s were held, and what the problem was about. Understand the whole context of your session, what came before, and what are the targets for the future sessions. Go to the UNCITRAL’s webpage, and search for the session to which you are going (they are presented on the right side of the page).

It is strongly recommended to take a camera with you in order to take photos with other delegates, officials or near signboards of important institutions in order to share your experiences via Facebook group for ELSA : https://www.facebook.com/elsa (please, visit and join us).

Registration on the First Day

Registration might be taking some time depending on the number of delegates. Plan at least 60 minutes to register. Fill in the registration form carefully. The registration of the delegates is usually held in the main building: it is the tallest glass building in the area. It is situated across the road from the United Nations headquarters. Remember to bring with you your Registration Number (it has been provided to you in the registration email, you might as well print the entire email and bring it with you: it will help the registration personnel). If requested, fill in the registration form carefully. In the field in which you are asked to write your official position, write ‘delegate’ or ‘head of delegation’. The registration personnel will give you your badge, which has to be worn every day. Registration lasts until lunch time. If you are late and there is no one at the registry be confident and explain the purpose of your visit to security. Usually, they treat with understanding and you will be allowed to enter the WIPO premises. Remember to bring a valid ID card or a passport!


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Plenaries

Usually plenaries start around 10 a.m. and end by 6 p.m. Make sure you are on time. Nevertheless, the last working day can be much longer. Leave yourself time. It might be your first plenary. Especially in plenaries with a lot of delegates, people might have incredible accents. It could take you some hours to get used to it, so try to stay tuned and understand. Be careful with the earplugs, they might be quite uncomfortable, in case they do not fit your ear perfectly. You can also bring your own headset.

There should be no problem to leave plenary for relieving yourself, however do it discreetly. Ensure your cell phone is silent, and never play with it in plenary. It is inevitable that sometimes topics might bore you because normally discussions proceed to a level which is far deeper than you would expect. Most people working for the committees are specialized in that particular field of law for decades. If you choose to relieve your boredom, such as browsing through the internet and doodling, ensure that others cannot see what you are doing, and appear like you are taking careful notes.

Make sure you have all the relevant materials: all the session materials published on the WIPO website are available for free on the reception desk near the entrance to the Session hall. Do not take a sit of another delegation even if it is empty.

On the second day of the session ask for the list of participants at the reception. Make sure that the title of our organization and names of its delegates are spelt correctly. Later, this list will be included to the draft report of the session prepared by the Secretariat and published on the official web-page of WIPO.

How to Approach Other Delegates

Never in a group, meaning never more than 2 people. They will feel intimidated, especially from countries as they are sceptical of all NGOs. When approaching delegates, smile and make visual contact. Just introduce yourself as part of ELSA International. Do not be afraid, ELSA has a good reputation and the overwhelming majority of people who already know ELSA responds very positively. If they do not know ELSA, you could tell them that:

§ ELSA stands for the European Law Students´ Association which is the biggest law students association in the world, having 50.000 members all over Europe, from 43 countries.

§ ELSA is non aligned to any political parties.

If they press on, react on the spot! You should know enough to answer their questions. Hint: read the philosophy statement of ELSA before the first day.


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The Head of the Delegation

The head of delegation is meant to represent the whole delegation in front of others. He/she has to be the best prepared delegate, not merely in terms of the conference matters, but in matters of history of institution you are sent to, brief history of NGOs, and who ELSA might be interested in contacting.

In addition to that, solid knowledge of the current ELSA work on both international and national level is essential.

To-Do:

§ Trust your fellow delegates. They are carefully chosen by the International Board concerning both academic and ELSA background.

§ Be the social link between delegates. They do not know each other in most of the cases and are alone in a foreign city.

§ Keep looking for the greater good. Even if there might be conflicts between single delegates ensure that this image is not projected to externals.

§ Be innovative. You might face situations you did not expect at all, so do not lose your smile and try to solve it as fast and as efficient as possible.

§ Confirm the delegations’ participation in the particular sessions with conference officers. § Think of sites to go after plenary or workshops. The delegation itself is also a great opportunity to

socialize for all of the delegates.

Delegates

Be motivated. Usually a lot of people apply for delegations and you have been selected to represent ELSA. So be aware of your duty and responsibility. Try to get along with everyone. In the inevitable situation conflicts arise, do not make this explicit in front of externals. Always appear cohesive no matter what. Give brief summaries whenever possible on which delegates you have made contact with in order to avoid double introductions, as it would make ELSA appear extremely fractured. Do not interrupt or circle conversations which your other delegates are currently involved in. Rather enjoy your spare time. Make yourself look useful even when you are not. Carry a cell phone with you and have enough credit. Read all emails before - hand and do not leave out anything which ELSA International sends. If possible, take a laptop with you.

General Behaviour

Handshakes should be firm. Make visual contact and smile. Mind your body language (posture etc.) especially when something displeases you, do not make it obvious through your body language. Do not impose and keep a certain physical distance to people, at least 80cm. Appear interested in whatever other delegates are saying. When introducing yourself to a group of strangers, always shake the women’s hands first, unless the male is obviously higher in seniority. Do not yawn at all. Choose your topics carefully, avoid political issues. You never know what expert is standing in front of you. If you do not know, just nod and smile.

Receiving Business Cards

Take a look at it for about 10 seconds. Seem interested. Put it either in your business cards envelope or in your inner pocket of your jacket. Never put it in your trousers pocket and never ever in your back pocket of your trousers. If Asians especially a Chinese or Japanese gives you a business cards, receive the business


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card with both hands and bow a little and study it intensively. Same further steps apply.

Being Academically Well-Prepared

Make sure to prepare in advance. Visit the Organisation’s homepage (www.wipo.int) and find out what will be discussed at the session you are going to attend. Get an idea of the structure and work of the Organisation. Go to the recommended websites to get an overview of the general topic. The work needs to be divided between the delegates before coming to the session. In order to be sure that a session will be entirely covered by notes of delegates it is recommended to take notes by turns (for example one delegate covering the morning session, another the afternoon). Such system increases the responsibility of delegates for their part of work and, eventually, the quality of the covered material. Long presentations made by the authors of studies (papers) should preferably be covered by different delegates.

It is recommended to have business cards with you. It is good to have them when you want to approach a delegate from a State or another NGO. The approach has to be friendly. Hold regular meetings with you colleagues to plan what you are going to attend, give them a report of what was discussed and exchange impressions.

For the schedules of the session and side and parallel events refer to the handouts. Sometimes additional events or schedule changes will be posted on the notice boards. Attend the NGO briefings on the morning to update the schedule and have the possibility to ask questions concerning time table matters as well as questions on substance.

Attend the linkage caucus in the evenings after the official plenaries in order to connect with other NGOs and have the possibility to ask questions in an informal environment.

X. ELSA Groups & ELSA Delegations

Promotion

Local ELSA groups have different options to promote the delegations announced by ELSA International.

First of all they have the general marketing material like flyers, which can handed out to interested students, or posters which can be placed at the faculty. The possibility of participating in one of the UN-delegations could be included in the general presentations (i.e. for freshers). This even is a chance for local groups to reach even more students as future ELSA members.

As special promotion campaign the ELSA group could cooperate with the professors of law and give a special presentation about delegations during lectures. Especially suitable would be a cooperation with Professors of international law, because usually the students interested in international law and UN law participate in these lessons.

Moreover, the local group can offer special fundraising support, in case there is a member participating in a


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delegation. In this area it would be possible to give tips or help actively in fundraising, or use the contacts of the group for the benefit of the delegate (for example, including the participation in a sponsorship offered by a law firm).

Finally, the group usually can use the promotion of delegations as occasion for other UN-law-related events, like a seminar, a “Lawyers at work” event or a Legal Research Group. Even an institutional visit to Vienna seems to be possible to inspire the participants for application.

Benefits

The promotion of delegations means at the same time promotion for the ELSA local group. So the delegations can help the local group to find more interested members. Moreover, the local group can benefit from the contacts, which they have built up to Professors in presenting delegations during the lessons.

If a member of the local group was chosen for the delegation and participated successfully, the local group can request for a presentation or a report afterwards. The student can report what he experienced and be open to questions by interested persons. This is automatically a good promotion again for the next delegation announcements. In addition, the groups can ask for advice from the previous delegates in building the academic programme for their events.

All this information should be enough for a successful delegation. For any other questions do not hesitate to contact the academic coordinators who can assist you and give you the additional information needed. This is it.

May you enjoy your status as delegates!

Documents

ELSA Delegations · These Guidelines are based on the previous editions of ELSA International Delegation’s Handbook. The first edition of the Guidelines for ELSA Delegations