Presidency of the EU Council The Portuguese Experience Helena Weinstein

Brief overview of the structure used by Portugal for the meetings held during its Presidencies of the EU / 1992 ; 2007 Two different models A and B: A – Based mainly in Lisbon – model chosen in 1992; B – Meetings were held in different locations – option chosen in 2007.

Brief overview of the structure used by Portugal for the meetings held during its Presidencies of the EU / 1992 ; 2007 A full time job (no weekends) Permanent capacity for improvisation Be always ready to answer positively Welcome desk has to remain for the duration of the presidency (official and touristic information)

Cooperation between the official and private sector: opportunities and difficulties Foreign Ministries are not foreseen to organise conference logistics Foreign Ministries provide information on the general format pretended Professionals make it happen

Cooperation between the official and private sector: opportunities and difficulties Presidencies are always a memento for the MI Timely contact between interested MI suppliers and Official Authorities Avoid unnecessary competition between suppliers; instead try to build up partnerships before approaching Official Authorities Interaction among PCO staff, Foreign Ministry staff and Brussels staff Support to media centres Timely definition of who provides technical support – Venue or PCO?

Cooperation between the official and private sector: opportunities and difficulties Security issues Hygiene of the premises Clearance by official authorities of all the staff of the provider Terms and conditions of the services should be defined well in advance Identification of focal points for different issues Medical support

The impact of the Portuguese Presidencies on the local Meeting Industry Model A - chosen in 1992 Based mainly in Lisbon Hotel Rates too high – big mistake Difficulty biding for congresses Hotel occupancy increased only 5%

The impact of the Portuguese Presidencies on the local Meeting Industry After the presidency: 1993 – hotel rates came down As a results of the good exposure, Lisbon got a higher rate of successful bids Thereafter this tendency was maintained and Lisbon started to going up on ICCA statistics

The impact of the Portuguese Presidencies on the local Meeting Industry Option B - chosen in 2007 Meetings were held in different locations Greater complexity on the logistics (more suppliers) Hotel rates remained unchanged Scarce necessity of hotel accommodation No full occupancy of the hotels for the duration of the presidency

o Fluctuation in the occupancy of hotels during the years 2006, 2007 and o In 2007 the entire increase in occupancy was 10,01%

Closing remarks It is a well worth business - if well planned in advance Good communication/interaction is a top priority at all levels for success Great visibility for the venue

And In beautiful Warsaw they are going to enjoy every minute of it!