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Instructions for Visitors

J10 STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION

Thank you for your interest in the Allied Command Operations (ACO), and its Strategic Headquarters Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). To enable SHAPE J10 Strategic Communications Division (J10 STRATCOM) to organise your visit to SHAPE, please read the information below and then complete and return the annexes as requested.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VISITORS

Location of the Base B-7010 SHAPE

Please note that the base B-7010 SHAPE is located at (about 70 km) southwest of Brussels near the town of Mons (Flemish: Bergen), north of the Motorway E 19/E 42.

It is not NATO HQ in the northern part of Brussels.

Application Form/Participants List

The Visitor’s request form must be submitted to SHAPE J10 STRATCOM via e-mail. To facilitate the organisation of your visit please fill in all mandatory fields (Visitor Request Form) and submit to SHAPE J10 STRATCOM as soon as possible however no later than 7 weeks prior to the visit. As soon as we have checked the availability of a briefing room and a briefer, we will confirm the date of the visit by e-mail.

The list of participants (Participants List) has to be typewritten in alphabetical order and returned to SHAPE J10 STRATCOM at least two weeks before the date of your visit. If someone in your group is from a non-NATO nation, you will also be required to send us a copy of their passport.

You must also make sure that visitors bring his/her passport or identity card with them. Incomplete data on the Participants List or forgetting to bring passports/identity cards along for the visit can cause severe disruptions in gaining access to SHAPE.

Groups have to provide the data for the transportation vehicle(s) and the driver(s) as requested in the list of participants. Without this information, the driver will have to in-process through the Visitors' Office and the visit will be delayed.

No access for individual cars.

If you do not have a coach, you may arrive by public transportation (see paragraph “how to get to SHAPE”), but please make the necessary arrangements in order to arrive on time.

Should any major delay (i.e. road works, traffic accident, etc.) occur en route to SHAPE on the day of the visit, the group leader should contact our office via email (shape.engagements@shape.nato.int) so we can inform staff members and re-arrange the schedule, if possible.

If you do not provide the required documents in accordance with the given timeline and format, we have the right to cancel at short notice.

SHAPE also reserves the right to cancel the visit due to time constraints or for other military reasons.

Security Policy

SHAPE reserves the right to check any ID prior to entering, and controls may be carried out at any time within the SHAPE installation.

Vehicle, baggage and container searches may be carried out at any time when entering the installation through the gates or while present on base as part of SHAPE overall security measures.

Visitors are responsible for:

• Safeguarding access documents (visitor pass and visitor vehicle pass)
• Reporting loss or theft without delay to their escort officer
• Ensuring that assigned badges are only used by themselves and are returned to SHAPE or destroyed when expired
• Acting accordingly with all the instruction given by their escort officer on the day of arrival

Mobile phones/Cameras

For reasons of security, the taking of photographs is limited. Your escort officer will advise you on the day of your visit.

Coffee/Tea break

During the break, coffee/tea and other beverages can be bought at the Headquarters cafeteria “The Silver Spoon”. Nevertheless, please be informed that this option is only available for morning session visits (note: the cafeteria will only accept Euros).

Smoking

There is a NO SMOKING policy at the Headquarters (including the cafeteria ‘The Silver Spoon’). Smoking is allowed in designated smoking areas outside the building ONLY. Your escort officer will advise you on the day of your visit.

Accessibility

SHAPE is committed to constantly improving access for people with disabilities. Should you or someone in your group require special assistance, please notify us in advance.

STANDARD VISIT PROGRAMME

HOW TO GET TO SHAPE

By Coach

Take the Motorway E19/E42 and take exit 23 “S.H.A.P.E./MAISIERES”.

If coming from the direction Namur/Brussels please turn right, if coming from direction Tournai/Paris turn left onto the N6 in direction “BRUSSELS/SOIGNIES/MAISIERES/S.H.A.P.E”. You will pass “Mons-Maisières” and approach a low hill. When you reach the top stay in the right lane. After the traffic lights take the left lane and turn left into “SHAPE Visitors’ Parking”.

From Brussels: Take ring RO or the Motorway E 19/A7 in the direction of Bergen (please note that in the Flemish region of Belgium, Mons is named Bergen) – then follow E19/E42 in the direction Mons/Paris. Please calculate at least a 01:15 hour drive from downtown Brussels to SHAPE.

For the use of navigation systems, you may use the following addresses: Avenue de Berlin, 7010 SHAPE (or 7020 Maisières or 7000 Mons) or Rue Grande, 7020 Maisières.

On arrival, please wait with your coach at the bus parking of the SHAPE Visitors’ Parking lot. The escort officer will meet the head of the group at the SHAPE Visitors' Office. The passengers are requested to wait at the bus. The escort officer will deliver the individual passes and check all the participants’ passports.

By Public Transportation

From Mons SNCB train station, take bus number 15, direction Soignies, and get off at the bus stop “Maisières – Le Maisières” which brings you close to the Berlin Gate main entrance of SHAPE. The trip takes approximately 30 minutes. Be aware that the bus may not be frequent - every 20/30 minutes up to every hour. Therefore, carefully plan your arrival beforehand.

Bus information can be found (also in English) on https://www.infotec.be.

The escort officer will meet your group at the SHAPE Visitors’ Office.

CONTACT

For any further inquiries concerning your visit please contact us:

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE
J10 Strategic Communications
Engagement, Outreach & Internal Communications Branch
B-7010 SHAPE