Speaking at the Conference

Speaking in plenary


Delegates are reminded that, in order to have the right to speak in plenary, they must be accredited either as regular delegates or as “advisers and substitute delegates”, acting on behalf of regular delegates. Delegates accredited as “advisers” are normally not entitled to speak in the plenary. Please see the Explanatory note on the Conference website for more details.

Registration to speak in plenary has been open since 1 April 2015 by email, fax or telephone. Please note that speaking slots cannot be officially confirmed until after receipt by the Office of the ILO Legal Adviser of the credentials of delegations. It is also possible to register on the list of speakers during the Conference, as early as possible, at the Speakers’ Registration Office at the Palais des Nations. The list closes on Thursday, 4 June, at 6 p.m., subject to decision by the Selection Committee. Please note that this concerns registration only for those wishing to take the floor in plenary in the discussion of the Reports of the Chairperson of the Governing Body and of the Director-General.

Delegates who are registered to speak in plenary are requested to send an electronic copy of their speech to ilcspeeches@ilo.org at least 24 hours before they are scheduled to speak. If this is not possible, they are requested to take a printed copy to the Speakers’ Registration Office (A563). It is important that speeches should be clearly marked with the name of the speaker, the name of the delegation, and should bear the mention “Check against delivery”.

Speakers will be notified beforehand by the Speakers’ Registration Office of the sitting and the approximate time at which the President will give them the floor.
 

Speaking in committees


The list of speakers in each committee is drawn up within the committee and organized by the secretariat and the committee Officers.
 

Time limit for speeches


To allow as many speakers as possible to take the floor during the discussion of the Reports of the Chairperson of the Governing Body and of the Director-General, the time limit for speeches is set at a maximum of five minutes (ILC Standing Orders, article 14(6). This time limit will be strictly applied. For participants’ information, this time allowance corresponds to approximately three typewritten double-spaced A4 pages (or 1,000 words), read at a speed that allows accurate simultaneous interpretation.

It is therefore strongly recommended that delegates reduce courtesies to a minimum, so as to enter into the substantive elements of their statements without delay.