Last year, CERN’s Enlarged Directorate approved the Host States’ suggestion concerning the permanent and visible wearing of badges (CERN access card or visitor badge). As a result, all persons present on CERN’s fenced site will soon be required to wear a badge visibly. This measure made sense only if all persons accessing the CERN site could be identified, regardless of their status. A working group made up of representatives of IR-ECO, FAP-AIS, BE-ICS, IT-CDA and SMB-DI was therefore created to discuss its implementation.

We are nearing our goal and should be able to implement the project gradually over the next few months. You will be informed of the various implementation dates in due course.

Please note that for visitors attending lectures and seminars, access management and badge creation will be handled via Indico.

The introduction of this measure will have several consequences:

• The concept of a “guarantor” accompanying unidentified persons will no longer exist.
• Your visitors must be registered in advance.
• “Pirate” visits organised without the approval of the Visits Service will be prohibited. All visits must now be declared, along with their participants if they are not CERN access card holders.
• Only access badges approved by CERN will be accepted.

There are two types of visitor badge:

• An A6 card (“portrait” format) made of tear-resistant paper, with a lanyard, for professional visitors and guided tours.
• An A4 print-at-home sheet that can be folded into four, for visitors attending lectures and seminars. A soft badge holder will be supplied by CERN.

More information on the procedural changes will be provided in due course.

Thank you for your understanding.

The working group on the wearing of badges