NATO North Atlantic Council Summit meetings of Heads of State and Government

Strasbourg, France and Baden-Baden and Kehl, Germany - 3-4 April 2009

  • 03 Apr. 2009 - 04 Apr. 2009
  • |
  • Press Release (2009) 037
  • Issued on 27 Mar. 2009
  • |
  • Last updated: 01 Apr. 2009 18:29

Complementary Information for the media

General

1. A NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government will be held on 3–4 April 2009 in Baden-Baden and Kehl, Germany, and in Strasbourg, France. Official events of the summit will take place in both countries.

2. The meetings will be chaired by the NATO Secretary General, H.E. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. The President of the French Republic, H.E. Nicolas Sarkozy, and the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, H.E. Angela Merkel are co-hosts.

Venues

3. The meeting will take place at the Palais de la Musique et des Congrès (Place de Bordeaux – 67000 Strasbourg). A working dinner will be held on the evening of 3 April at the Kurhaus Casino in Baden-Baden.

4. The Media Centre will be located in the Parc des Expositions (Boulevard de Dresde – 67000 Strasbourg).

5. Finally, the Media Accreditation Office will be located at Cap Europe (6, rue de Bitche – 67000 Strasbourg, access via 23A rue Jean Frédéric Oberlin).

Accreditation and security checks

6. Media representatives wishing to cover the Summit must request accreditation. Applications for accreditation can only be made on-line via internet, by clicking on the following link: https://my.hq.nato.int/jas.

7. The accreditation process is summarized on the NATO Website at the following Internet address: http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/news_47798.htm. It requires interested media representatives to create a user name and password and to provide a digital picture (3.5 x 4.5 cm passport-type photograph in JPEG format). Applications for accreditation should be made no later than 12 midnight on Monday, 30 March 2009. Applications received after that date are likely to be delayed or refused. Media representatives having completed the request for accreditation on the internet are encouraged to bring a print-out of the request confirmation. Late applications will not be taken into consideration for the pools.

8. Access to the Media Centre requires a media pass. Media passes will not be mailed to applicants; they must be collected in person at the Media Accreditation Office upon presentation of a valid ID card or passport and a valid press card (or letter of accreditation from a recognized media organization).

9. Passes must be worn visibly at all times, and secondary identification may be requested at any time by security personnel. Media representatives are informed that security personnel will examine and may test equipment and personal effects carried onto the site and are advised to arrive with sufficient lead time to clear security checks.

10. Security checks of media belongings: Media are also informed that security personnel will have full authority to examine and test any equipment and to examine any other items brought by media to any secured site including the International Media Centre (IMC). Media are advised to plan enough time to allow for security checks each time they enter the IMC.

11. Television and radio broadcasters, wire services and photo agencies using bulky equipment are particularly urged to bring it into the Media Centre before 12 noon on Thursday, 2 April 2009. After noon on Thursday, 2 April 2009, only hand-carried or light portable equipment will be permitted through the security checkpoints at the Media Centre.  Media who need to bring in much larger amounts of equipment after that time are asked to pre-arrange an arrival time with IMC officials so that appropriate personnel are available to expedite your entry.

Access to events

Transport within Strasbourg

12. From 1 April to 4 April, a special Tram line will operate every half hour (24 hours a day) from Place Broglie, downtown Strasbourg, to the Media Center. During this time, all Strasbourg public transportation will be free of charge for accredited journalists (wearing media pass).

13. From 2 April, a bus shuttle service will operate every half hour from media accreditation office to the media centre.

14.French Authorities will provide transportation from the Zenith Parking lot on the city’s periphery (http://www.zenith-strasbourg.fr/Strasbourg-Zenith-/Practical-Information) to the Media Centre every 30 minutes, around the clock (24/7) from 2 April and from the Zenith Parking to the Accreditation Office every 30 minutes during that office’s opening hours. Parking with private vehicles will be possible at the Zenith Parking lot.

Transport to Media events in Germany

15.Transportation for audiovisual pools has been arranged for persons who have been granted access to the Baden-Baden or Kehl events and to the Airports in Germany (see “Programme and Pools” section below). For reasons of practicality and security, pool card holders will not be allowed to use their own transportation to go to these events.

16.Opening hours

 

Accreditation Office

IMC/Media Centre

Wednesday 1 April

08:00–22:00

Not yet open

Thursday 2 April

08:00–22:00

08:00–open 24 hrs

Friday 3 April

08:00–22:00

Open 24 hours

Saturday 4 April

07:00–13:00

Open 24 hours

Sunday 5 April

Closed

Closes at 12:00 Noon

Media Centre Facilities

17. The Summit’s official International Media Centre is the central distribution point for information and material including live and taped video and audio, photo and other.

18. Facilities at the Media Centre for accredited media include:

  • Open and available 24 hours a day between 2 April and 5 April
  • Summit Information Desk and media office support
  • NATO, French and German Press Offices
  • General press workroom with 1000 seats, free Wifi and shared internet connections, live television feeds, shared telephone connections, electricity connections, LAN connections to printers
  • A dedicated area in the press workroom for audiovisual media with greater bandwidth
  • A large number of identified ISDN lines for radio transmissions in the press workroom
  • a limited number of personal computers available for shared use. The shared computers are on a local area network (LAN) with printer capability.
  • TV and Radio workspace, production space with Wifi, electricity etc
  • Video Distribution point to record Host TV
  • Audio Distribution point to record scheduled remarks in original, English, French and German
  • Press Conference rooms
  • Television stand-up positions, indoor and outdoor
  • Restaurant and 24-hour cafeteria facilities
  • Pool formation sites
  • Press transportation point
  • Closed Circuit TV with live video of HOST TV/Summit events and constantly updated schedule information

19. There is a separate section toward the end of this advisory about television and radio, video and audio technical information (e.g., free satellite transmissions, live streams, and distribution and recording points).

Programme and Pools

20. Media representatives will receive the programme of Summit events as they are handed their NATO Summit Media Credential at the NATO Accreditation Office in Strasbourg. Following are broad indications of the programme as it is known on 23 March.

21. The first official event of the Summit is the Working Dinner of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) on Friday, 3 April at the Kurhaus in Baden-Baden. Germany will host a cultural event in Kurhaus for the leaders prior to the working dinner.

22. On Saturday early morning, 4 April, NATO Heads of State and Governement will cross the Rhine River together from Kehl, to Strasbourg. Upon their arrival in Strasbourg, there will be a brief ceremony to honour NATO troops. This is also the location of the leaders’ official group portrait.  These events are dependent on favourable weather. On Saturday morning, 4 April, the meeting of the North Atlantic Council will take place in Strasbourg at the Palais de la Musique et des Congrès (Place de Bordeaux – 67000 Strasbourg). It is foreseen to begin mid-morning.

23. After the Council meeting Saturday, it is foreseen that the Secretary-General and a number of other leaders will hold press conferences. Detailed schedules are being developed and will be available via CCTV in the Media Centre.

24. Heads of State and Governement and other principals will likely be involved in non –summit events, in their own individual and/or bilateral events on the margins of the Summit. The press office of each official delegation is the source of information about their leader’s non-Summit events.

25. Audiovisual coverage of airport arrivals of leaders: At this particular NATO summit, more than two dozen leaders are arriving at three different airports in two host nations. These arrivals are all planned to be informal, non-ceremonial arrivals. Host TV will cover many of these arrivals.

26. Arrival arrangements including coverage will be made directly between the leader’s representatives and the Host Nation where the aircraft lands. Please get a leader’s arrival information only from delegations’ press officers. If a delegation permits coverage of its leader’s arrival, coverage arrangements will be organized by the host nation where the aircraft lands. It is foreseen that arrivals on Friday 3 April by Heads of State and Governement into either France or Germany will be televised live by HOST TV from each country and seen live in the Media Centre in Strasbourg. The schedule will be shared on CCTV in the Media Centre as arrival times are confirmed.

Media Coverage Plans

27. Schedules and times for summit events are still being finalized. Many events will take place in venues which can only accommodate small groups of media. At these events, the NATO pool system for photographers and videographers must necessarily be used.

28. Press conferences traditionally held after NAC meetings conclude are expected to be “open coverage” per NATO practice to any media accredited for the Summit.

29. In addition, at several summit locations where space permits, locations have been arranged at a distance from events for television stand-up positions with the event site visible in the distance. Television media interested in these locations should look for more information in the television section of this media advisory to contact the appropriate organizers.

POOLS – Events where media coverage is likely to be pool

30. Sizes of pools are still being finalized but the list of events with pool coverage is likely to include:

 Thursday, 2 April

Event:“NATO in 2020: What Lies Ahead? Youth Forum”

First day events of NATO Conference of Foreign Policy experts and future leaders, Strasbourg

  COVERAGE: Large pool of writers and photo at the event

Live stream on NATO websites and live on CCTV at Media Centre as Summit schedule permits

Friday, 3 April

Event:“NATO in 2020: What Lies Ahead? Youth Forum”

Second day of events of NATO Conference of Foreign Policy experts and future leaders, Strasbourg

COVERAGE: Large pool of writers and photo at the event Live stream on NATO websites and live on CCTV at Media Centre as Summit schedule permits

Event: Heads of State and Governement events at Kurhaus in Baden-Baden, Germany, Including their greeting by NATO Secretary-General and the Summit Co-hosts, President Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel, and elements of the cultural event and other leader activity prior to the NAC Working Dinner at Kurhaus

Time: Early evening

COVERAGE by several small pre-positioned Photo-only pools AND LIVE ON HOST TV

[Due to event arrangements, all of the Kurhaus coverage pools and Kurgarten television stand-up personnel will need to leave the Media Centre in Strasbourg by morning on Friday, 3 April, to pre-position in Baden-Baden for the evening events]

Saturday, 4 APRIL 2009

TO MEDIA: All the Saturday morning events from the Rhine River through the opening moments of the NAC meeting will occur in quick sequence.  Any media who receive pool cards to be in any of these pools can only do ONE of these pools.  It will  not be possible to migrate from any one of these pools to another, even if you have the pool card for another pool.

Event:Chancellor Merkel welcomes NATO leaders as they arrive individually to Kehl, Germany

AUDIOVISUAL COVERAGE : HOST TV and small Photo-only Pool

Event:NATO Leaders together cross the Rhine River from Kehl, Germany to Strasbourg, France, greeted by President Sarkozy at the border

AUDIOVISUAL COVERAGE: HOST TV by German and French Host TVs and small photo-only pools

Event  NATO Leaders arrive the Strasbourg, France bank of the Rhine River for military ceremony in honour of NATO troops and NATO’s 60th year; the official photograph of the NAC leaders follows immediately at the same location

AUDIOVISUAL COVERAGE: HOST TV and POOL

Event:NATO Leaders arrive at the Palais de la Musique et des Congres, Strasbourg, France, for the NAC meeting

AUDIOVISUAL COVERAGE: HOST TV and small Photo-only pool

Event:             Opening of the meeting of the North Atlantic Council

Palais de la Musique et des Congrès

  AUDIOVISUAL COVERAGE: HOST TV and POOL

OTHER EVENTS

Event:Closing Press Conference by the NATO Secretary General and the Summit Co-hosts, President Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel To be confirmed

Coverage: Open (to be confirmed)

Event:Individual Press Conferences by some Heads of State and Governement or Ministers who so wish at the Strasbourg Media Centre

  COVERAGE: As determined by the individual delegation and all details will be made available on CCTV in the IMC

Bilateral Meetings and Delegation-specific programs

31. Coverage of bilateral meetings of the NATO Secretary-General will be arranged by NATO in agreement with the other principals involved in the bilateral. Media interested in covering the Secretary-General at these events should contact the NATO Press Office at the Media Centre : +33.3.88.25.22.71.

32. Coverage of bilateral meetings between NATO leaders are expected to take the opportunity of the Summit to schedule bilateral meetings and in some cases they will permit some media coverage of their own meetings. These bilateral meetings are not official Summit events and therefore, it is the responsibility of each individual delegation to decide whether to have coverage and to arrange their own media coverage, including identifying media that will have access and arranging with the Host Press Office to provide access for those media. Media wishing to cover any leader’s bilateral meeting schedule should contact the press officers of that individual leader and inform the French Press Office in the Media Centre to arrange transport to it (Point of Contact : +33.3.88.25.22.44 or 45.

33. Information about leaders’ individual programmes: Media seeking information about the programme of a leader separate from Summit events are reminded to make those inquiries, please, through the delegation Press Officer.

How to acquire pool cards

34. Some Summit events or parts of events are declared OPEN on the media schedule which means that space permits that all media credentialed for the Summit are eligible to cover that event. When circumstances do not allow “open” coverage, where space for media is unavoidably limited, events will be covered by smaller groups of media designated as pools. POOL events often include NAC working sessions and dinners. POOLED events can be covered only by photographers and videographers and only via the system of NATO POOLS and POOL CARDS.

35. POOL CARDS are event-specific credentials issued to identify each individual member of the media who will be in a pool. The Pool Card is worn by media in addition to the Summit Media Credential. Media must already have the Summit Media Credential to be permitted to accept a pool card.

36. NATO gives available pool cards to delegations for distribution to their national media and NATO gives pool cards on a space-available basis to media from countries not belonging to NATO.

37. To request a position in a pool, media need to contact the press officers of the country which the  media covers, or to contact the NATO Press Office if the media is not from a NATO country.

38. Contact details for Delegation Press officers who will be in Strasbourg will be made available in the Media Handbook delivered upon accreditation and at the information desks within the media centre. Media from countries with no official delegation participating in the Summit can apply for a pool pass through the NATO Media Coordinator. Point of contact : strasbourgkehl2009@hq.nato.int

39. Delegations will not receive their pool cards earlier than 2 April and will not know until then what pool cards they will receive. NATO allocates this limited universe of pool cards as equitably as possible.

40. All pools will originate at the Media Centre in Strasbourg for the security check and official transportation to the event.  The time that you must report to the Media Centre for your pool will be provided to the delegation press officers along with the pool cards and Pool information will be displayed on the TV information screens on Closed Circuit TV in the Media Centre. It will also be published in the Official Media Programme received with credentials in Strasbourg.

Note about Responsibilities of Pool members to other media

41. When a media representative accepts a NATO pool position it is with the strict understanding, in accordance with international practice, that the act of accepting the credential to be in a NATO pool implies explicit and unconditional agreement by that media representative that he/she will share immediately and upon request with other media credentialed to the NATO event all information collected, and/or all material produced, while in that pool.

42. It also implies explicit agreement that the media representative will share the material at no charge to other journalists and with no restriction on the use of the material for legitimate news purposes. Media representatives can only accept the pool credential if they have the backing of their employer to all of the conditions on providing pool material as the basis of accepting the pool position.

43. Media representatives and the news organizations that employ them who accept any material from a pool accept it with the strict understanding that it must be identified as pool material any time it is used, that it can be used only for legitimate news purposes and that the receiving party has no right to sell pool material or otherwise profit from it.

44. Photographers seeking pool photo materials should contact the Wire Service Photo Agency of which they are a member or client.

45. Media who still need photographic and video material from pools can contact NATO and/or the Host Nations. The main point of contact for that is the Information Desk at the Media Centre, or the Websites of the Host Nations and NATO.

Press Conferences

46. The French and German authorities have made a number of rooms available to the delegations for their press conferences. All of these rooms are equipped with lighting and sound systems for television and radio, including connection points for sound recordings and wi-fi coverage. Seven rooms have interpretation equipment. Press conferences held in the main press hall will also be broadcast live on CCTV.

47. Only delegations may reserve these rooms and the national delegations must contact the NATO Media Coordinator to reserve spaces and time slots for their press conferences.

48. Access to press conferences is normally open to all accredited media without pool passes; delegations reserve the right to restrict access to their national media only.

Requests For Interviews

49. To interview the NATO Secretary-General: Requests for interviews with the Secretary General should be directed to the NATO Spokesman’s Office. The point of contact is Mrs. Hedwige Lauwaert.  Email: lauwaert.hedwige@hq.nato.int.

50. Requests to interview other NATO Dignitariesand representatives from Delegations should be directed to the leader’s and delegation’s press officers. Prior to the summit, the point of contact is the individual nation’s official press officers. Contact details to reach delegation press officers when they are in Strasbourg will be available in the Media Handbook delivered upon accreditation in Strasbourg.

Technical Information About TV & Radio, Video And Audio

51. There will be live television coverage of public Summit events on 3-4 April 2009, as well as live telecasts of some events that occur on the Summit margins. These are special telecasts organized for this Summit through broadcasters and television production groups brought together to serve as “Host TV”. A more complete schedule of telecasts will be available closer to the Summit.

52. The Host TV video and audio will be arranged by NATO and the Summit Host Countries and provided free of charge to all media as a courtesy to the general public with the understanding that the video and audio may be used only for appropriate news and public affairs uses.

53. All Host TV video and audio will be transmitted into the Media Centre and distributed through the central production point there. Host TV will be shown LIVE on Closed Circuit TV screens throughout the Media Centre (headsets available for audio language selection), as well as streamed live via NATO Websites http://www.nato.int/ and http://www.natochannel.tv/ (Audio on these sites will be English and French, the official NATO languages).

54. NATO will provide Free Live Satellite transmissions of HOST TV video and audio of major Summit events. NATO will provide these transmissions live via satellite with no encryption and no downlink charges. Four channels of audio (original, English, French and German) will be available on the transmissions of official summit events when speaking is scheduled. The schedule and satellite coordinates will be released in a separate NATO advisory just prior to the summit.

55. There will also be a free recording point at the Media Centre in Strasbourg which will provide the video and audio of HOST TV. Video and audio will be available here LIVE ONLY. Media are responsible to bring all of their own recording equipment including cables, connectors and tape stock. Inquire at the NATO Information Desk to be directed to the recording point in the Media Centre. The video signal will be available in PAL, SD-SDI.

56. AUDIO: The official languages of NATO are English and French.  Media however will have FOUR channels of audio available to them from official events where speaking is scheduled.  The four channels will include ORIGINAL language, ENGLISH translation, FRENCH translation and GERMAN translation as Germany co-hosts this Summit.

57. All four channels of audio will be on NATO’s free live satellite transmissions and all four channels will be at the recording points in the Media Centre.

58. ISDN lines will be available to radio media in the Media Centre in “Euro ISDN” standard. Please bring your own adapters if needed for this connection.

59. Media working through Eurovision and EBU can make their own arrangements directly with them for language selection to the workspace.  However, media working independently in TV/radio workspace must select and cable their own audio.

60. Audio on the live streams on NATO websites will be English and French only (the official NATO languages).

61. Eurovision and EBU Radio will provide comprehensive tv and radio production facilities and also distribute the host TV signals to their clients at the Media Centre.  Media must make their own arrangements directly with Eurovision/EBU. Please contact Eurovision/EBU directly to inquire about services, facilities and fees. The contacts for Eurovision and EBU Radio are further in this advisory.

62. Special workspace in the Media Centre is designed an dedicated for TV and radio use. A basic workspace consists of a small editing cabin with table, chair, electricity and Wifi. Media may reserve a workspace in one of these two ways:

Book work space through Eurovision or EBU Radio as part of their services package: Eurovision and EBU are managing the use of a large number of booths and providing support and resources for media who make prior arrangements with them for their services. Contact information is below.

Book workspace through the French Summit Task Force on a first-come, first-served basis.  Media can reserve a work space through the French Summit Task Force.  Media are advised that when they book this space, they are responsible to fully support themselves, to provide all of their own equipment, connectors and especially cable and should plan to bring and run all their own cable for their own connections (video and audio) to master control. The workspace will have electricity and Wifi. The contact is the TV coordinator of the French Summit Task Force and information is below.

63. Summit organizers have built a large number of Stand-up positions at the Media Centre for TV, indoors and outdoors; ALL of these positions will have electricity, Wifi, and a phone line for IFB use (RJ-11 connector). If anything else is added to the space, including live transmission, the extra services are the responsibility of Eurovision for its clients or the responsibility of the media themselves who book space for independent TV through the French Task Force. Use of the stand-ups must be booked and reserved and that can be done in two ways:

Book MEDIA CENTRE stand-ups through Eurovision : Eurovision is managing use of some stand-up space for its clients.  Please contact them directly (contact information is below) to make your arrangements.

Book MEDIA CENTRE stand-ups through the Summit organizers: Summit organizers have space available for independent media – on a first come, first served basis – for media who will manage all of their own stand-up and technical arrangements as well as all of their own satellite booking and connectivity.  TV media who book these positions need to be completely self-supporting, and need to provide all of their own equipment and cable and plan to do all of their own cabling. Contact information is below for the TV coordinator of the French Summit Task Force

64. Limited TV stand-up positions in Baden-Baden: This is for television only. At the far edge of the NAC dinner property, a TV stand-up area has been organized as a courtesy for telecasters. There is absolutely no access to any coverage of events in Baden-Baden from this position. Anyone going to this position can travel only via official transportation which leaves the Media Centre in Strasbourg for Baden-Baden late morning on Friday, April 3.  Media can not be brought back to Strasbourg until all the leaders have left the NAC Dinner location. There is no Media Center in Baden-Baden and there is no Video or Host TV distribiution or record point in Baden-Baden.

For a stand-up position with Eurovision support and facilities, please contact Lance Newhart of Eurovision directly at  the contact information is further in this advisory.

For a stand-up position where media will be provided a space only but must be entirely self-sufficient for every other requirement, spaces are available on a first-come, first-serve basis only.  Please contact Rainer Hornischer, Television Coordinator of the German Press Office, at the contacts listed further in this advisory.

65. Limited TV Stand-up positions at the Rhine River, 4 April: This is for television only. A limited number of stand-up locations are being made available for the Saturday morning events at the Strasbourg side of the Rhine.  Media are advised that these positions offered as a courtesy to telecasters are far from the actual events and are not intended to be in position for event coverage.  Media are also advised that these positions are outdoors, there is no rain cover, there is no Media Centre and there is no distribution of any video or audio at this location.  Media are advised that they must be entirely self-sufficient at these locations including boots and batteries.

66. Media interested in these spaces are asked to please contact the TV Coordinator of the French Task Force whose contact information is further in this advisory.

67. EUROVISION CONTACT INFORMATION. As stated, EUROVISION will provide for its television clients comprehensive broadcast facilities, including lstand-up positions for live programme inserts, tape play out in multiple formats, editing and distribution of Host TV Video and audio signals in work spaces and TV editing booths. To request Eurovision services and for inquiry about fees please contact:

Mr. Lance NEWHART
Eurovision Operations
Mobile: + 41 79 244 6527
E-mail: newhart@eurovision.net

68. CONTACT for EBU Radio Co-ordinator : Radio studios, editing booths, selected audio feeds and sound distribution points will be made available to radio media representatives who arrange to be clients of EBU. EBU Radio will manage booking requests and provide signal and technical assistance as required by their clients. To arrange EBU services and to receive full specifications and rates, please contact

Ms Audrey PLAT
EBU Radio
Tel.:    +41.79.832 42 29
E-mail: plat@ebu.ch

69. CONTACT FOR the French Summit Task Force TV Coordinator:  Media who are not clients of Eurovision or any other service provider who wish to inquire about reserving stand-up space or work spaces as described in this advisory at which media would be fully self-supporting  at the Strasbourg Media Center or the Rhine River site should please contact:

Mr. Jean-Louis JOURDES
French Summit Task Force Television Coordinator
Tel.: +33.6.11.03.01.28
e-mail: jean-louis.jourdes@wanadoo.fr.

70. Contact for the German Press Office TV Coordinator Media who are not clients of EBU wish to inquire about the limited stand-up positions (first come first served) at which they would be fully self-supporting in Baden Baden should please contact:

Mr. Rainer HORNISCHER
Email: mailto:hornischer.rainer@bund.ba.de

Transmission/Uplink trucks at IMC must pre-register DEADLINE 24 March

71. Uplink trucks (live transmission trucks) will be given access to the open-sky car park at the Media Centre in Strasbourg but all trucks must pre-register by March 24. Access in the city centre which will be restricted prior to the Summit.  TV companies must pre-register their vehicles by March 24 by providing the details (e.g., registration number, make and dimensions) of the uplink trucks that will be brought to the Media Center. Trucks must also pre-register the time of their arrival.  Drivers and technicians operating these vehicles must have the NATO Summit Media Credential. The French point of contact for these requirements for truck access is: 

Mr Jean-Louis JOURDES
French Summit Task Force TV Coordinator
Tel.:    +33.6.11.03.01.28
e-mail: jean-louis.jourdes@wanadoo.fr  

Welcome to France and Germany

72. Do you need a visa for France and/or Germany? Both France and Germany are members of the European Union and signatories to the Schengen Agreement. Each has visa requirements for certain nationalities and visa waivers for short stays for others. Members of the media are personally responsible for determining whether they need a visa to enter either or both countries and are personally responsible to acquire the visa if it is needed.

FRANCE: For information on visa requirements for France, please contact an embassy of France or visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the French Republic http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/france_159/entering-france_2045/index.html 

GERMANY: For information on visa requirements for Germany, please contact an embassy of Germany or visit the website of the Federal Foreign Office: http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/diplo/en/WillkommeninD/EinreiseUndAufenthalt/StaatenlisteVisumpflicht.html 

73. Do you need to declare your equipment at Customs in France or Germany? Media representatives from EU countries may come in and out of France and Germany without declaring personal belongings or professional equipment to Customs officials. Media representatives from non-EU countries are subject to going through regular Customs procedures for temporary admission but with total exoneration from import duties for their personal belongings (reasonable amount necessary for this trip) and belongings needed for professional activities during the Summit (sound, image and data supports, equipment meant for TV and radio production and broadcasting, and vehicles specially adapted for the above-mentioned purpose with their related equipment).

74. For non-EU nationals, it is highly recommended that you have with you a fully-completed ATA/CPD (the carnet) which is an internationally recognized declaration of your own property.  Information about the ATA carnet can be found (in French) on the official website of French customs http://douane.gouv.fr/page.asp?id=233. Information can also be obtained by contacting either the embassy of France or of Germany in your country.

75.Welcome to Strasbourg Strasbourg is making a number of special arrangements to welcome and to assist media visitors who will be working at the IMC in Strasbourg. To learn about those arrangements, media are encouraged to look for the special Summit information and welcome desks which will be at central public transportation points like the airport and train stations.

76. ACCOMMODATIONS AROUND STRASBOURG Accommodations have been heavily booked since the Summit’s announcement but assistance is still available for media who are still looking for accommodation. The Host Nations have centralized hotel room bookings for media representatives as much as possible to provide assistance with available rooms.

77. Accommodation in France is being managed by the BEYOND company. This service is provided to media representatives free of charge. The Beyond company has opened an internet web site for media – http://www.otan-hotels.strasbourgkehl2009.org/ with a list of properties working with the Summit. Moreover, the website provides practical information for media visitors. Bookings can be made via internet or telephone:  media@strasbourgkehl2009.org and +33.4.93.68.76.00       .

Enquiries and Contact Information

Mme Evelyne Richard
French Presidency Press Service
French Media Operations Officer

French Summit Task Force
Telephone: +33.1.42.92.81.00       
Fax: +33.1.42.92.80.01
E-mail: mailto:evelyne.richard@elysee.fr

Dr Tilman Seeger
German Government Press Service
German Media Operations Officer

German Summit Task Force
Telephone: +49.1888.272.21.16
Fax: +49.1888.272.21.19
E-mail: tilman.seeger@bpa.bund.de

Mr Damien Arnaud
NATO International Staff Press Service
NATO Media Operations Officer

NATO Summit Task Force
Telephone: +32.2.707.50.41       
Fax: +32.2.707.50.57
E-mail: strasbourgkehl2009@hq.nato.int  

National Contacts for NATO Allies

Contact details for press officers with delegations at the Summit will be made available in Strasbourg at NATO Media Accreditation. Prior to that time, Media should contact the official press offices of leaders and principals. As assistance, this is the link to the permanent NATO website page which lists NAC member countries and links to their key institutions: