Article 1. Plenipotentiary Conference
1 1. 1) The Plenipotentiary Conference shall be convened in accordance with the relevant
provisions of Article 8 of the Constitution of the lnternational Telecommunication
Union (hereinafter referred to as " the Constitution").
2 PP-98 2) If practicable, the precise place and the exact dates of a Plenipotentiary Conference
shall be set by the preceding Plenipotentiary Conference; failing this, they shall
be fixed by the Council with the concurrence of the majority of the Member States.
3 2. 1) The precise place and the exact dates of the next Plenipotentiary Conference,
or either one of these, may be changed:
4 PP-98 a) when at least one-quarter of the Member States have individually proposed a change
to the Secretary-General; or
5 b) on a proposal of the Council.
6 PP-98 2) Any such change shall require the concurrence of a majority of the Member States.
Article 2. Elections and Related Matters
The Council
7 PP-98 1. Except in the case of vacancies arising in the circumstances described in Nos.
10 to 12 below, the Member States elected to the Council shall hold office until the
date on which a new Council is elected. They shall be eligible for reelection.
8 PP-98 2. 1) If, between two plenipotentiary conferences, a seat becomes vacant on the Council.
it shall pass by right to the Member State from the same region as the Member State
whose seat is vacated which had obtained at the previous election the largest number
of votes among those not elected.
9 PP-98 2) When for any reason a vacant seat cannot be filled according to the procedure
of No. 8 above, the Chairman of the Council shall invite the other Member States of
the region to seek election within one month of such an invitation being issued. At
the end of this period, the Chairman of the Council shall invite Member States to
elect a new Member State of the Council. The election shall be carried out by secret
ballot by correspondence. The same majority as indicated above will be required. The
new Member State of the Council shall hold office until the election of the new Council
by the next competent plenipotentiary conference.
10 3. A seat on the Council shall be considered vacant:
11
a) when a Member State of the Council does not have a representative in attendance at
two consecutive ordinary sessions of the Council;
12 PP-98 b) when a Member State resigns its membership of the Council.
Elected officials
13 1 The Secretary-General, the Deputy Secretary-General and the Directors of the Bureaux
shall take up their duties on the dates determined by the Plenipotentiary Conference
at the time of their election. They shall normally remain in office until dates determined
by the following plenipotentiary conference, and they shall be eligible for re-election
once only for the same post. Re-election shall mean that it is possible for only a
second term, regardless of whether it is consecutive or not.
14 2. If the post of Secretary-General falls vacant, the Deputy Secretary-General shall
succeed to it and shall remain in office until a date determined by the following
Plenipotentiary Conference. When under these conditions the Deputy Secretary-General
succeeds to the office of the Secretary-General, the post of Deputy Secretary-General
shall be considered to fall vacant on that same date and the provisions of No. 15
below shall be applied.
15 3. If the post of Deputy Secretary-General falls vacant more than 180 days prior
to the date set for the convening of the next Plenipotentiary Conference, the Council
shall appoint a successor for the balance of the term.
16 4. If the posts of the Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General fall vacant
simultaneously, the Director who has been longest in office shall discharge the duties
of Secretary-General for a period not exceeding 90 days. The Council shall appoint
a Secretary-General and, if the vacancies occur more than 180 days prior to the date
set for the convening of the next Plenipotentiary Conference, a Deputy Secretary-General.
An official thus appointed by the Council shall serve for the balance of the term
for which his predecessor was elected.
17 5. If the post of a Director becomes unexpectedly vacant, the Secretary-General shall
take the necessary steps to ensure that the duties of that Director are carried out
until the Council shall appoint a new Director at its next ordinary session following
the occurrence of such a vacancy. A Director so appointed shall serve until the date
fixed by the next Plenipotentiary Conference.
18 6. Subject to the relevant provisions of Article 27 of the Constitution, the Council
shall provide for the filling of any vacancy in the post of Secretary-General or Deputy
Secretary-General in the situation described in the relevant provisions of the present
Article at an ordinary session, if held within 90 days after a vacancy occurs, or
at a session convened by the Chairman within the periods specified in those provisions.
19 7. Any period of service in the post of an elected official pursuant to an appointment
under Nos. 14 to 18 above shall not affect eligibility for election or re-election
to such a post.
Members of the Radio Regulations Board
20 1 The members of the Radio Regulations Board shall take up their duties on the dates
determined by the Plenipotentiary Conference at the time of their election. They shall
remain in office until dates determined by the following plenipotentiary conference,
and shall be eligible for re-election once only. Re-election shall mean that it is
possible for only a second term, regardless of whether it is consecutive or not.
21 2. If, in the interval between two plenipotentiary conferences, a member of the Board
resigns or is no longer in a position to perform his duties, the Secretary-General,
in consultation with the Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau, shall invite the
Member States of the region concerned to propose candidates for the election of a
replacement at the next session of the Council. However, if the vacancy occurs more
than 90 days before a session of the Council or after the session of the Council preceding
the next plenipotentiary conference, the Member State concerned shall designate, as
soon as possible and within 90 days, another national as a replacement who will remain
in office until the new member elected by the Council takes office or until the new
members of the Board elected by the next plenipotentiary conference take office, as
appropriate. The replacement shall be eligible for election by the Council or by the
Plenipotentiary Conference, as appropriate.
22 3. A member of the Radio Regulations Board is considered no longer in a position
to perform his duties after three consecutive absences from the Board meetings. The
Secretary-General shall, after consultation with the Board’s Chairman as well as the
member of the Board and the Member State concerned, declare existence of a vacancy
in the Board and shall proceed as stipulated in No. 21 above.
Article 3. Other Conferences and Assemblies
23 PP-98 1. In conformity with the relevant provisions of the Constitution, the following
world conferences and assemblies of the Union shall normally be convened within the
period between two plenipotentiary conferences:
24 PP-98 a) one or two world radiocommunication conferences;
25 PP-98 b) one world telecommunication standardization assembly;
26 c) one world telecommunication development conference;
27 PP-98 d) one or two radiocommunication assemblies.
28 2. Exceptionally, within the period between Plenipotentiary Conferences:
29 PP-98 (SUP)
30 PP-98 – an additional world telecommunication standardization assembly may be convened.
31 3. These actions shall be taken:
32 a) by a decision of a Plenipotentiary Conference;
33 PP-98 b) on the recommendation of the previous world conference or assembly of the Sector
concerned, if approved by the Council; in the case of a radiocommunication assembly,
the recommendation of the assembly shall be transmitted to the following world radiocommunication
conference for comments for the attention of the Council;
34 PP-98 c) at the request of at least one-quarter of the Member States, which shall individually
address their requests to the Secretary-General; or
35 d) on a proposal of the Council.
36 4. A regional radiocommunication conference shall be convened:
37 a) by a decision of a Plenipotentiary Conference;
38 b) on the recommendation of a previous world or regional radiocommunication conference
if approved by the Council;
39 PP-98 c) at the request of at least one-quarter of the Member States belonging to the region
concerned, which shall individually address their requests to the Secretary-General;
or
40 d) on a proposal of the Council.
41 PP-98 5. 1) The precise place and the exact dates of a world or regional conference or
an assembly of a Sector may be fixed by a plenipotentiary conference.
42 PP-98 2) In the absence of such a decision, the Council shall determine the precise place
and the exact dates of a world conference or an assembly of a Sector with the concurrence
of a majority of the Member States, and of a regional conference with the concurrence
of a majority of the Member States belonging to the region concerned; in both cases
the provisions of No. 47 below shall apply.
43 6. 1) The precise place and the exact dates of a conference or assembly may be changed:
44 PP-98 a) at the request of at least one-quarter of the Member States in the case of a world
conference or an assembly of a Sector, or of at least one-quarter of the Member States
belonging to the region concerned in the case of a regional conference. Their requests
shall be addressed individually to the Secretary-General, who shall transmit them
to the Council for approval; or
45 b) on a proposal of the Council.
46 PP-98 2) In the cases specified in Nos. 44 and 45 above, the changes proposed shall not
be finally adopted until accepted by a majority of the Member States, in the case
of a world conference or an assembly of a Sector, or by a majority of the Member States
belonging to the region concerned, in the case of a regional conference, subject to
the provisions of No. 47 below.
47 PP-98 7. In the consultations referred to in Nos. 42, 46, 118, 123 and 138 of this Convention
and in Nos. 26, 28, 29, 31 and 36 of the General Rules of conferences, assemblies
and meetings of the Union, Member States which have not replied within the time-limits
specified by the Council shall be regarded as not participating in the consultations,
and in consequence shall not be taken into account in computing the majority. If the
number of replies does not exceed one-half of the Member States consulted, a further
consultation shall take place, the results of which shall be decisive regardless of
the number of votes cast.
48 8. 1) World conferences on international telecommunications shall be held upon decision
by the Plenipotentiary Conference.
49 2) The provisions for the convening of, the adoption of the agenda of, and the participation
in a world radiocommunication conference shall, as appropriate, equally apply to world
conferences on international telecommunications.
50 PP-94 PP-98 1. 1) The number of Member States of the Council shall be determined by the Plenipotentiary
Conference which is held every four years.
50A PP-94 PP-98 2) This number shall not exceed 25% of the total number of Member States.
51 2. 1) The Council shall hold an ordinary session annually at the seat of the Union.
52 2) During this session it may decide to hold, exceptionally, an additional session.
53 PP-98 3) Between ordinary sessions, it may be convened, as a general rule at the seat of
the Union, by the Chairman at the request of a majority of its Member States, or on
the initiative of the Chairman under the conditions provided for in No. 18 of this
Convention.
54 3. The Council shall take decisions only in session. Exceptionally, the Council in
session may agree that any specific issue shall be decided by correspondence.
55 PP-98 4. At the beginning of each ordinary session, the Council shall elect its own Chairman
and Vice-Chairman from among the representatives of its Member States, taking into
account the principle of rotation between the regions. They shall serve until the
opening of the next ordinary session and shall not be eligible for re-election. The
Vice-Chairman shall serve as Chairman in the absence of the latter.
56 PP-98 5. The person appointed to serve on the Council by a Member State of the Council
shall, so far as possible, be an official serving in, or directly responsible to,
or for, their telecommunication administration and qualified in the field of telecommunication
services.
57 PP-98 6. Only the travelling, subsistence and insurance expenses incurred by the representative
of each Member State of the Council, belonging to the category of developing countries,
the list of which is established by the United Nations Development Programme, in that
capacity at Council sessions, shall be borne by the Union.
58 PP-98
[Red: Vervallen.]
59 8. The Secretary-General shall act as Secretary of the Council.
60 PP-98 9. The Secretary-General, the Deputy Secretary-General and the Directors of the Bureaux
may participate as of right in the deliberations of the Council, but without taking
part in the voting. Nevertheless, the Council may hold meetings confined to the representatives
of its Member States.
60A PP-98 9.bis A Member State which is not a Member State of the Council may, with prior notice
to the Secretary-General, send one observer at its own expense to meetings of the
Council, its committees and its working groups. An observer shall not have the right
to vote.
60B PP-02 9 ter) Sector Members may attend, as observers, meetings of the Council, its committees and
its working groups, subject to the conditions established by the Council, including
conditions relating to the number of such observers and the procedures for appointing
them.
61 PP-98 10. The Council shall consider each year the report prepared by the Secretary-General
on implementation of the strategic plan adopted by the Plenipotentiary Conference
and shall take appropriate action.
61A 10bis While at all times respecting the financial limits as adopted by the Plenipotentiary
Conference, the Council may, as necessary, review and update the strategic plan which
forms the basis of the corresponding operational plans and inform the Member States
and Sector Members accordingly.
61B 10ter The Council shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure.
62 11. The Council shall, in the interval between two Plenipotentiary Conferences, supervise
the overall management and administration of the Union; it shall in particular:
62A 1) receive and review the specific data for strategic planning that is provided by
the Secretary-General as noted in No. 74A of the Constitution and, in the last but
one ordinary session of the Council before the next plenipotentiary conference, initiate
the preparation of a draft new strategic plan for the Union, drawing upon input from
Member States, Sector Members and from the Sector advisory groups, and produce a coordinated
draft new strategic plan at least four months before that plenipotentiary conference;
62B 1bis) establish a calendar for the development of strategic and financial plans for
the Union, and of operational plans for each Sector and for the General Secretariat,
so as to allow for the development of appropriate linkage among the plans;
63 1ter) approve and revise the Staff Regulations and the Financial Regulations of the
Union and any other regulations as it may consider necessary, taking account of current
practice of the United Nations and of the specialized agencies applying the common
system of pay, allowances and pensions;
64 2) adjust as necessary:
65 a) the basic salary scales for staff in the professional and higher categories, excluding
the salaries for posts filled by election, to accord with any changes in the basic
salary scales adopted by the United Nations for the corresponding common system categories;
66 b) the basic salary scales for staff in the general services categories to accord
with changes in the rates applied by the United Nations and the specialized agencies
at the seat of the Union;
67 c) the post adjustment for professional and higher categories, including posts filled
by election, in accordance with decisions of the United Nations for application at
the seat of the Union;
68 d) the allowances for all staff of the Union, in accordance with any changes adopted
in the United Nations common system;
69 PP-98 3) take decisions to ensure equitable geographical distribution and representation
of women in the professional and higher categories in the staff of the Union and monitor
the implementation of such decisions;
70 4) decide on proposals for major organizational changes within the General Secretariat
and the Bureaux of the Sectors of the Union consistent with the Constitution and this
Convention, submitted to it by the Secretary-General following their consideration
by the Coordination Committee;
71 5) examine and decide on plans concerning Union posts and staff and human resources
development programmes covering several years, and give guidelines for the staffing
of the Union, including on staffing levels and structures, taking into account the
guidelines given by the Plenipotentiary Conference and the relevant provisions of
Article 27 of the Constitution;
72 6) adjust, as necessary, the contributions payable by the Union and its staff to
the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund, in accordance with the Fund's rules and
regulations, as well as the cost of living allowances to be granted to beneficiaries
of the Union Staff Superannuation and Benevolent Funds on the basis of the practice
followed by the Fund;
73 PP-98 PP-02 7) review and approve the biennial budget of the Union, and consider the budget forecast
(included in the financial operating report prepared by the Secretary-General under
No. 101 of this Convention) for the two-year period following a given budget period,
taking account of the decisions of the Plenipotentiary Conference in relation to No.
50 of the Constitution and of the financial limits set by the Plenipotentiary Conference
in accordance with No. 51 of the Constitution; it shall ensure the strictest possible
economy but be mindful of the obligation upon the Union to achieve satisfactory results
as expeditiously as possible. In so doing, the Council shall take into account the
priorities established by the Plenipotentiary Conference as expressed in the strategic
plan for the Union, the views of the Coordination Committee as contained in the report
by the Secretary-General mentioned in No. 86 of this Convention and the financial
operating report mentioned in No. 101 of this Convention. The Council shall carry
out an annual review of income and expenditure with a view to effecting adjustments,
where appropriate, in accordance with resolutions and decisions of the Plenipotentiary
Conference;
74 8) arrange for the annual audit of the accounts of the Union prepared by the Secretary-General
and approve them, if appropriate, for submission to the next Plenipotentiary Conference;
75 PP-98 9) arrange for the convening of the conferences and assemblies of the Union and provide,
with the consent of a majority of the Member States in the case of a world conference
or assembly, or of a majority of the Member States belonging to the region concerned
in the case of a regional conference, appropriate directives to the General Secretariat
and the Sectors of the Union with regard to their technical and other assistance in
the preparation for and organization of conferences and assemblies;
76 10) take decisions in relation to No. 28 of this Convention;
77 11) decide upon the implementation of any decisions which have been taken by conferences
and which have financial implications;
78 12) to the extent permitted by the Constitution, this Convention and the Administrative
Regulations, take any other action deemed necessary for the proper functioning of
the Union;
79 PP-98 13) take any necessary steps, with the agreement of a majority of the Member States,
provisionally to resolve questions not covered by the Constitution, this Convention
and the Administrative Regulations and which cannot await the next competent conference
for settlement;
80 PP-94 14) be responsible for effecting the coordination with all international organizations
referred to in Articles 49 and 50 of the Constitution and, to this end, conclude,
on behalf of the Union, provisional agreements with the international organizations
referred to in Article 50 of the Constitution and in Nos. 269B and 269C of this Convention,
and with the United Nations in application of the Agreement between the United Nations
and the International Telecommunication Union; these provisional agreements shall
be submitted to the Plenipotentiary Conference in accordance with the relevant provision
of Article 8 of the Constitution;
81 PP-98 15) send to Member States, within 30 days after each of its sessions, summary records
on the activities of the Council and other documents deemed useful;
82 16) submit to the Plenipotentiary Conference a report on the activities of the Union
since the previous Plenipotentiary Conference and any appropriate recommendations.
Article 5. General Secretariat
83 1. The Secretary-General shall:
84 a) be responsible for the overall management of the Union's resources; he may delegate
the management of part of these resources to the Deputy Secretary-General and the
Directors of the Bureaux, in consultation as necessary with the Coordination Committee;
85 b) coordinate the activities of the General Secretariat and the Sectors of the Union,
taking into account the views of the Coordination Committee, with a view to assuring
the most effective and economical use of the resources of the Union.
86 PP-98 c) prepare, with the assistance of the Coordination Committee, and submit to the
Council a report indicating changes in the telecommunication environment since the
last Plenipotentiary Conference and containing recommended action relating to the
Union's future policies and strategy, together with their financial implications;
86A PP-98 cbis) coordinate implementation of the strategic plan adopted by the Plenipotentiary Conference
and prepare an annual report on this implementation for review by the Council;
87 d) organize the work of the General Secretariat and appoint the staff of that Secretariat
in accordance with the directives of the Plenipotentiary Conference and the rules
established by the Council;
87A PP-98
dbis) prepare annually, a four-year rolling operational plan of activities to be undertaken
by the staff of the General Secretariat consistent with the strategic plan, covering
the subsequent year and the following three-year period, including financial implications,
taking due account of the financial plan as approved by the plenipotentiary conference;
this four-year operational plan shall be reviewed by the advisory groups of all three
Sectors, and shall be reviewed and approved annually by the Council;
88 e) undertake administrative arrangements for the Bureaux of the Sectors of the Union
and appoint their staff on the basis of the choice and proposals of the Director of
the Bureau concerned, although the final decision for appointment or dismissal shall
rest with the Secretary-General;
89 f) report to the Council any decisions taken by the United Nations and the specialized
agencies which affect common system conditions of service, allowances and pensions;
90 g) ensure the application of any regulations adopted by the Council:
91 h) provide legal advice to the Union;
92 i) supervise, for administrative management purposes, the staff of the Union with
a view to assuring the most effective use of personnel and the application of the
common system conditions of employment for the staff of the Union. The staff appointed
to assist directly the Directors of the Bureaux shall be under the administrative
control of the Secretary-General and shall work under the direct orders of the Directors
concerned but in accordance with administrative guidelines given by the Council;
93 j) in the interest of the Union as a whole and in consultation with the Directors
of the Bureaux concerned, temporarily reassign staff members from their appointed
position as necessary to meet fluctuating work requirements at headquarters;
94 k) make, in agreement with the Director of the Bureau concerned, the necessary administrative
and financial arrangements for the conferences and meetings of each Sector;
95 l) taking into account the responsibilities of the Sectors, undertake appropriate
secretariat work preparatory to and following conferences of the Union;
96
m) prepare recommendations for the first meeting of the heads of delegation referred
to in No. 49 of the General Rules of conferences, assemblies and meetings of the Union,
taking into account the results of any regional consultation;
97 n) provide, where appropriate in cooperation with the inviting government, the secretariat
of conferences of the Union, and provide the facilities and services for meetings
of the Union, in collaboration, as appropriate, with the Director concerned, drawing
from the Union's staff as he deems necessary in accordance with No. 93 above. The
Secretary-General may also, when so requested, provide the secretariat of other telecommunication
meetings on a contractual basis;
98 o) take necessary action for the timely publication and distribution of service documents,
information bulletins, and other documents and records prepared by the General Secretariat
and the Sectors, communicated to the Union or whose publication is requested by conferences
or the Council; the list of documents to be published shall be maintained by the Council,
following consultation with the conference concerned, with respect to service documents
and other documents whose publication is requested by conferences;
99 p) publish periodically, with the help of information put at his disposal or which
he may collect, including that which he may obtain from other international organizations,
a journal of general information and documentation concerning telecommunication;
100 PP-98
q) after consultation with the Coordination Committee and making all possible economies,
prepare and submit to the Council a biennial draft budget covering the expenditures
of the Union, taking account of the financial limits laid down by the Plenipotentiary
Conference. This draft shall consist of a consolidated budget, including cost-based
and results-based budget information for the Union, prepared in accordance with the
budget guidelines issued by the Secretary-General, and comprising two versions. One
version shall be for zero growth of the contributory unit, the other for a growth
less than or equal to any limit fixed by the Plenipotentiary Conference, after any
drawing on the Reserve Account. The budget resolution, after approval by the Council,
shall be sent for information to all Member States;
101 r) with the assistance of the Coordination Committee, prepare an annual financial
operating report in accordance with the Financial Regulations and submit it to the
Council. A recapitulative financial operating report and accounts shall be prepared
and submitted to the next Plenipotentiary Conference for examination and final approval;
102 PP-98 s) with the assistance of the Coordination Committee, prepare an annual report on
the activities of the Union which, after approval by the Council, shall be sent to
all Member States;
102A PP-98 sbis) manage the special arrangements referred to in No. 76A of the Constitution, the
cost of this management being borne by the signatories of the arrangement in a manner
agreed between them and the Secretary-General.
103 t) perform all other secretarial functions of the Union;
104 u) perform any other functions entrusted to him by the Council.
105 2 The Secretary-General or the Deputy Secretary-General may participate, in an advisory
capacity, in conferences of the Union; the Secretary-General or his representative
may participate in an advisory capacity in all other meetings of the Union.
SECTION 5. RADIOCOMMUNICATION SECTOR
Article 7. World Radiocommunication Conference
112 1. In accordance with No. 90 of the Constitution, a world radiocommunication conference
shall be convened to consider specific radiocommunication matters. A world radiocommunication
conference shall deal with those items which are included in its agenda adopted in
accordance with the relevant provisions of this Article.
113 2. 1) The agenda of a world radiocommunication conference may include:
114 a) the partial or, exceptionally, complete revision of the Radio Regulations referred
to in Article 4 of the Constitution;
115 b) any other question of a worldwide character within the competence of the conference;
116 c) an item concerning instructions to the Radio Regulations Board and the Radiocommunication
Bureau regarding their activities, and a review of those activities;
117 PP-98 d) the identification of topics to be studied by the radiocommunication assembly
and the radiocommunication study groups, as well as matters that the assembly shall
consider in relation to future radiocommunication conferences.
118 PP-94
PP-98 2) The general scope of this agenda should be established four to six years in advance,
and the final agenda shall be established by the Council preferably two years before
the conference, with the concurrence of a majority of the Member States, subject to
the provisions of No. 47 of this Convention. These two versions of the agenda shall
be established on the basis of the recommendations of the world radiocommunication
conference, in accordance with No. 126 of this Convention.
119 3) This agenda shall include any question which a Plenipotentiary Conference has
directed to be placed on the agenda.
120 3. 1) This agenda may be changed:
121 PP-98 a) at the request of at least one-quarter of the Member States. Such requests shall
be addressed individually to the Secretary-General, who shall transmit them to the
Council for approval; or
122 b) on a proposal of the Council.
123 PP-98 2) The proposed changes to the agenda of a world radiocommunication conference shall
not be finally adopted until accepted by a majority of the Member States, subject
to the provisions of No. 47 of this Convention.
124 4. The conference shall also:
125 1) consider and approve the report of the Director of the Bureau on the activities
of the Sector since the last conference;
126 2) recommend to the Council items for inclusion in the agenda of a future conference
and give its views on such agendas for at least a four-year cycle of radiocommunication
conferences, together with an estimate of the financial implications;
127 3) include, in its decisions, instructions or requests, as appropriate, to the Secretary-General
and the Sectors of the Union.
128 5. The Chairman and Vice-Chairmen of the radiocommunication assembly, or of relevant
study groups, may participate in the associated world radiocommunication conference.
Article 8. Radiocommunication Assembly
129 1. A radiocommunication assembly shall deal with and issue, as appropriate, recommendations
on questions adopted pursuant to its own procedures or referred to it by the Plenipotentiary
Conference, any other conference, the Council or the Radio Regulations Board.
129A 1bis The radiocommunication assembly is authorized to adopt the working methods and procedures
for the management of the Sector’s activities in accordance with No. 145A of the Constitution.
130 2. With regard to No. 129 above, the radiocommunication assembly shall:
131 PP-98 1) consider the reports of study groups prepared in accordance with No. 157 of this
Convention and approve, modify or reject the draft recommendations contained in those
reports, and consider the reports of the radiocommunication advisory group prepared
in accordance with No. 160H of this Convention;
132 2) bearing in mind the need to keep the demands on the resources of the Union to
a minimum, approve the programme of work arising from the review of existing questions
and new questions and determine the priority, urgency, estimated financial implications
and time-scale for the completion of their study;
133 3) decide, in the light of the approved programme of work derived from No. 132 above,
on the need to maintain, terminate or establish study groups, and allocate to each
of them the questions to be studied;
134 4) group questions of interest to the developing countries as far as possible, in
order to facilitate their participation in the study of those questions;
135 5) give advice on matters within its competence in response to requests from a world
radiocommunication conference;
136 PP-98 6) report to the following world radiocommunication conference on the progress in
matters that may be included in the agenda of future radiocommunication conferences.
136A 7) decide on the need to maintain, terminate or establish other groups and appoint
their chairmen and vice-chairmen;
136B 8) establish the terms of reference for the groups referred to in No. 136A above;
such groups shall not adopt questions or recommendations.
137 3. A radiocommunication assembly shall be presided over by a person designated by
the government of the country in which the meeting is held or, in the case of a meeting
held at the seat of the Union, by a person elected by the assembly itself. The Chairman
shall be assisted by Vice-Chairmen elected by the assembly.
137A PP-98 4 A radiocommunication assembly may assign specific matters within its competence,
except those relating to the procedures contained in the Radio Regulations, to the
radiocommunication advisory group indicating the action required on those matters.
Article 9. Regional Radiocommunication Conferences
138 PP-98 The agenda of a regional radiocommunication conference may provide only for specific
radiocommunication questions of a regional nature, including instructions to the Radio
Regulations Board and the Radiocommunication Bureau regarding their activities in
respect of the region concerned, provided such instructions do not conflict with the
interests of other regions. Only items included in its agenda may be discussed by
such a conference. The provisions contained in Nos. 118 to 123 of this Convention
shall apply to a regional radiocommunication conference, but only with regard to the
Member States of the region concerned.
Article 10. Radio Regulations Board
139 PP-98 (SUP)
140 2. In addition to the duties specified in Article 14 of the Constitution, the Board
shall:
1) consider reports from the Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau on investigations
of harmful interference carried out at the request of one or more of the interested
administrations, and formulate recommendations with respect thereto;
2) also, independently of the Radiocommunication Bureau, at the request of one or
more of the interested administrations, consider appeals against decisions made by
the Radiocommunication Bureau regarding frequency assignments.
141 3 The members of the Board shall participate, in an advisory capacity, in radiocommunication
conferences. In this case, they shall not participate in these conferences as members
of their national delegations.
141A 3bisTwo members of the Board, designated by the Board, shall participate, in an advisory
capacity, in plenipotentiary conferences and radiocommunication assemblies. In these
cases, the two members designated by the Board shall not participate in these conferences
or assemblies as members of their national delegations.
142 4. Only the travelling, subsistence and insurance expenses incurred by the members
of the Board in the exercise of their duties for the Union shall be borne by the Union.
142A 4bisThe members of the Board shall, while in the exercise of their duties for the Union,
as specified in the Constitution and Convention, or while on mission for the Union,
enjoy functional privileges and immunities equivalent to those granted to the elected
officials of the Union by each Member State, subject to the relevant provisions of
the national legislation or other applicable legislation in each Member State. Such
functional privileges and immunities are granted to members of the Board for the purposes
of the Union and not for their personal advantage. The Union may and shall withdraw
the immunity granted to a member of the Board whenever it considers that such immunity
is contrary to the orderly administration of justice and its withdrawal is not prejudicial
to the interests of the Union.
143 5. The working methods of the Board shall be as follows:
144 1) The members of the Board shall elect from their own members a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman
for a period of one year. Thereafter the Vice-Chairman shall succeed the Chairman
each year and a new Vice-Chairman shall be elected. In the absence of the Chairman
and Vice-Chairman, the Board shall elect a temporary Chairman for the occasion from
among its members.
145 2) The Board shall normally hold up to four meetings a year, of up to five days’
duration, generally at the seat of the Union, at which at least two-thirds of its
members shall be present, and may carry out its duties using modern means of communication.
However, if the Board deems necessary, depending upon the matters to be considered,
it may increase the number of its meetings. Exceptionally, the meetings may be of
up to two weeks’ duration.
146 3) The Board shall endeavour to reach its decisions unanimously. If it fails in that
endeavour, a decision shall be valid only if at least two-thirds of the members of
the Board vote in favour thereof. Each member of the Board shall have one vote; voting
by proxy is not allowed.
147 4) The Board may make such internal arrangements as it considers necessary in conformity
with the provisions of the Constitution, this Convention and the Radio Regulations.
Such arrangements shall be published as part of the Board's Rules of Procedure.
Article 11. Radiocommunication Study Groups
148 1. Radiocommunication study groups are set up by a radiocommunication assembly.
149 PP-98 2. 1) The radiocommunication study groups shall study questions adopted in accordance
with a procedure established by the radiocommunication assembly and prepare draft
recommendations to be adopted in accordance with the procedure set forth in Nos. 246A
to 247 of this Convention.
149A PP-98 1bis) The radiocommunication study groups shall also study topics identified in resolutions
and recommendations of world radiocommunication conferences. The results of such studies
shall be included in recommendations or in the reports prepared in accordance with
No. 156 below.
150 PP-98 2) The study of the above questions and topics shall, subject to No. 158 below, focus
on the following:
151 PP-98 a) use of the radio-frequency spectrum in terrestrial and space radiocommunication
and of the geostationary-satellite and other satellite orbits;
152 b) characteristics and performance of radio systems;
153 c) operation of radio stations;
154 d) radiocommunication aspects of distress and safety matters.
155 PP-98 3) These studies shall not generally address economic questions, but when they involve
comparing technical or operational alternatives, economic factors may be taken into
consideration.
156 3. The radiocommunication study groups shall also carry out preparatory studies of
the technical, operational and procedural matters to be considered by world and regional
radiocommunication conferences and elaborate reports thereon in accordance with a
programme of work adopted in this respect by a radiocommunication assembly or following
instructions by the Council.
157 4. Each study group shall prepare for the radiocommunication assembly a report indicating
the progress of work, the recommendations adopted in accordance with the consultation
procedure contained in No. 149 above and any draft new or revised recommendations
for consideration by the assembly.
158 5. Taking into account No. 79 of the Constitution, the tasks enumerated in Nos. 151
to 154 above and in No. 193 of this Convention in relation to the Telecommunication
Standardization Sector shall be kept under continuing review by the Radiocommunication
Sector and the Telecommunication Standardization Sector with a view to reaching common
agreement on changes in the distribution of matters under study. The two Sectors shall
cooperate closely and adopt procedures to conduct such a review and reach agreements
in a timely and effective manner. If agreement is not reached, the matter may be submitted
through the Council to the Plenipotentiary Conference for decision.
159 6. In the performance of their studies, the radiocommunication study groups shall
pay due attention to the study of questions and to the formulation of recommendations
directly connected with the establishment, development and improvement of telecommunications
in developing countries at both the regional and international levels. They shall
conduct their work giving due consideration to the work of national, regional and
other international organizations concerned with radiocommunication and cooperate
with them, keeping in mind the need for the Union to maintain its pre-eminent position
in the field of telecommunications.
160 7. For the purpose of facilitating the review of activities in the Radiocommunication
Sector, measures should be taken to foster cooperation and coordination with other
organizations concerned with radiocommunication and with the Telecommunication Standardization
Sector and the Telecommunication Development Sector. A radiocommunication assembly
shall determine the specific duties, conditions of participation and rules of procedure
for these measures.
Article 11A. PP-98 Radiocommunication Advisory Group
160A PP-98 1 The radiocommunication advisory group shall be open to representatives of administrations
of Member States and representatives of Sector Members and to chairmen of the study
groups and other groups, and will act through the Director.
160B PP-98 2. The radiocommunication advisory group shall:
160C PP-98 1) review priorities, programmes, operations, financial matters and strategies related
to radiocommunication assemblies, study groups and other groups and the preparation
of radiocommunication conferences, and any specific matters as directed by a conference
of the Union, a radiocommunication assembly or the Council;
160CA 1)bis review the implementation of the operational plan of the preceding period in order
to identify areas in which the Bureau has not achieved or was not able to achieve
the objectives laid down in that plan, and advise the Director to take the necessary
corrective measures;
160D PP-98 2) review progress in the implementation of the programme of work established under
No. 132 of this Convention;
160E PP-98 3) provide guidelines for the work of study groups;
160F PP-98 4) recommend measures, inter alia, to foster cooperation and coordination with other standards bodies, with the Telecommunication
Standardization Sector, the Telecommunication Development Sector and the General Secretariat;
160G PP-98 5) adopt its own working procedures compatible with those adopted by the radiocommunication
assembly:
160H PP-98 6) prepare a report for the Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau indicating
action in respect of the above items;
160I 7) prepare a report for the Radiocommunication Assembly on the matters assigned to
it in accordance with No. 137A of this Convention and transmit it to the Director
for submission to the assembly.
Article 12. Radiocommunication Bureau
161 1. The Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau shall organize and coordinate the
work of the Radiocommunication Sector. The duties of the Bureau are supplemented by
those specified in provisions of the Radio Regulations.
162 2. The Director shall, in particular,
163 1) in relation to radiocommunication conferences:
164 PP-98
a) coordinate the preparatory work of the study groups and other groups and the Bureau,
communicate to the Member States and Sector Members the results of this preparatory
work, collect their comments and submit a consolidated report to the conference which
may include proposals of a regulatory nature;
165
b) participate as of right, but in an advisory capacity, in the deliberations of radiocommunication
conferences, of the radiocommunication assembly and of the radiocommunication study
groups and other groups. The Director shall make all necessary preparations for radiocommunication
conferences and meetings of the Radiocommunication Sector in consultation with the
General Secretariat in accordance with No. 94 of this Convention and, as appropriate,
with the other Sectors of the Union, and with due regard for the directives of the
Council in carrying out these preparations;
166 c) provide assistance to the developing countries in their preparations for radiocommunication
conferences.
167 2) in relation to the Radio Regulations Board:
168 a) prepare and submit draft Rules of Procedure for approval by the Radio Regulations
Board; they shall include, inter alia, calculation methods and data required for the application of the provisions of the
Radio Regulations;
169
b) distribute to all Member States the Rules of Procedure of the Board, collect comments
thereon received from administrations and submit them to the Board;
170
c) process information received from administrations in application of the relevant
provisions of the Radio Regulations and regional agreements and their associated Rules
of Procedure and prepare it, as appropriate, in a form suitable for publication;
171 d) apply the Rules of Procedure approved by the Board. prepare and publish findings
based on those Rules, and submit to the Board any review of a finding which is requested
by an administration and which cannot be resolved by the use of those Rules of Procedure;
172 e) in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Radio Regulations, effect an
orderly recording and registration of frequency assignments and, where appropriate,
the associated orbital characteristics, and keep up to date the Master International
Frequency Register; review entries in that Register with a view to amending or eliminating,
as appropriate, those which do not reflect actual frequency usage, in agreement with
the administration concerned;
173 f) assist in the resolution of cases of harmful interference, at the request of one
or more of the interested administrations, and where necessary, make investigations
and prepare, for consideration by the Board, a report including draft recommendations
to the administrations concerned;
174 g) act as executive secretary to the Board;
175 3) coordinate the work of the radiocommunication study groups and other groups and
be responsible for the organization of that work;
175A PP-98 3bis) provide the necessary support for the radiocommunication advisory group, and report
each year to Member States and Sector Members and to the Council on the results of
the work of the advisory group.
175B PP-98 3ter) take practical measures to facilitate the participation of developing countries in
the radiocommunication study groups and other groups.
176 4) also undertake the following:
177 PP-98 a) carry out studies to furnish advice with a view to the operation of the maximum
practicable number of radio channels in those portions of the spectrum where harmful
interference may occur, and with a view to the equitable, effective and economical
use of the geostationary-satellite and other satellite orbits, taking into account
the needs of Member States requiring assistance, the specific needs of developing
countries, as well as the special geographical situation of particular countries;
178 PP-98
b) exchange with Member States and Sector Members data in machine-readable and other
forms, prepare and keep up to date any documents and databases of the Radiocommunication
Sector, and arrange with the Secretary-General, as appropriate, for their publication
in the languages of the Union in accordance with No. 172 of the Constitution;
179 c) maintain such essential records as may be required;
180
d) submit to the world radiocommunication conference a report on the activities of the
Radiocommunication Sector since the last conference; if a world radiocommunication
conference is not planned, a report on the activities of the Sector covering the period
since the last conference shall be submitted to the Council and, for information,
to Member States and Sector Members;
181 e) prepare a cost-based budget estimate for the requirements of the Radiocommunication
Sector and transmit it to the Secretary-General for consideration by the Coordination
Committee and inclusion in the Union's budget.
181A PP-98
f) prepare annually a rolling four-year operational plan that covers the subsequent
year and the following three-year period, including financial implications of activities
to be undertaken by the Bureau in support of the Sector as a whole; this four-year
operational plan shall be reviewed by the Radiocommunication Advisory Group in accordance
with Article 11A of this Convention, and shall be reviewed and approved annually by
the Council;
182 3. The Director shall choose the technical and administrative personnel of the Bureau
within the framework of the budget as approved by the Council. The appointment of
the technical and administrative personnel is made by the Secretary-General in agreement
with the Director. The final decision for appointment or dismissal rests with the
Secretary-General.
183 4. The Director shall provide technical support, as necessary, to the Telecommunication
Development Sector within the framework of the Constitution and this Convention.
SECTION 6. TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDIZATION SECTOR
Article 13. PP-98 World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly
184 PP-98 1. In accordance with No. 104 of the Constitution, a world telecommunication standardization
assembly shall be convened to consider specific matters related to telecommunication
standardization.
184A 1bis The world telecommunication standardization assembly is authorized to adopt the working
methods and procedures for the management of the Sector’s activities in accordance
with No. 145A of the Constitution.
185 PP-98 2. The questions to be studied by a world telecommunication standardization assembly,
on which recommendations shall be issued, shall be those adopted pursuant to its own
procedures or referred to it by the Plenipotentiary Conference, any other conference,
or the Council.
186 PP-98 3. In accordance with No. 104 of the Constitution, the assembly shall:
187 PP-98
a) consider the reports of study groups prepared in accordance with No. 194 of this
Convention and approve, modify or reject draft recommendations contained in those
reports, and consider the reports of the telecommunication standardization advisory
group in accordance with Nos. 197H and 197I of this Convention;
188 b) bearing in mind the need to keep the demands on the resources of the Union to
a minimum, approve the programme of work arising from the review of existing questions
and new questions and determine the priority, urgency, estimated financial implications
and time-scale for the completion of their study;
189 c) decide, in the light of the approved programme of work derived from No. 188 above,
on the need to maintain, terminate or establish study groups and allocate to each
of them the questions to be studied;
190 PP-98 d) group, as far as practicable, questions of interest to the developing countries
to facilitate their participation in these studies;
191 e) consider and approve the report of the Director on the activities of the Sector
since the last conference.
191bis
f) decide on the need to maintain, terminate or establish other groups and appoint their
chairmen and vice-chairmen;
191ter
g) establish the terms of reference for the groups referred to in No. 191bisabove; such groups shall not adopt questions or recommendations.
191A PP-98 4. A world telecommunication standardization assembly may assign specific matters
within its competence to the telecommunication standardization advisory group indicating
the action required on those matters.
191B PP-98 5 A world telecommunication standardization assembly shall be presided over by a
chairman designated by the government of the country in which the meeting is held
or, in the case of a meeting held at the seat of the Union, by a chairman elected
by the assembly itself. The chairman shall be assisted by vice-chairmen elected by
the assembly.
Article 14. Telecommunication Standardization Study Groups
192 PP-98 1. 1) Telecommunication standardization study groups shall study questions adopted
in accordance with a procedure established by the world telecommunication standardization
assembly and prepare draft recommendations to be adopted in accordance with the procedure
set forth in Nos. 246A to 247 of this Convention.
193 2) The study groups shall, subject to No. 195 below, study technical, operating and
tariff questions and prepare recommendations on them with a view to standardizing
telecommunications on a worldwide basis, including recommendations on interconnection
of radio systems in public telecommunication networks and on the performance required
for these interconnections. Technical or operating questions specifically related
to radiocommunication as enumerated in Nos. 151 to 154 of this Convention shall be
within the purview of the Radiocommunication Sector.
194 PP-98 3) Each study group shall prepare for the world telecommunication standardization
assembly a report indicating the progress of work, the recommendations adopted in
accordance with the consultation procedure contained in No. 192 above, and any draft
new or revised recommendations for consideration by the assembly.
195 2. Taking into account No. 105 of the Constitution, the tasks enumerated in No. 193
above and those enumerated in Nos. 151 to 154 of this Convention in relation to the
Radiocommunication Sector shall be kept under continuing review by the Telecommunication
Standardization Sector and the Radiocommunication Sector with a view to reaching common
agreement on changes in the distribution of matters under study. The two Sectors shall
cooperate closely and adopt procedures to conduct such a review and reach agreements
in a timely and effective manner. If agreement is not reached, the matter may be submitted
through the Council to the Plenipotentiary Conference for decision.
196 3. In the performance of their studies, the telecommunication standardization study
groups shall pay due attention to the study of questions and to the formulation of
recommendations directly connected with the establishment, development and improvement
of telecommunications in developing countries at both the regional and international
levels. They shall conduct their work giving due consideration to the work of national,
regional and other international standardization organizations, and cooperate with
them, keeping in mind the need for the Union to maintain its pre-eminent position
in the field of worldwide standardization for telecommunications.
197 PP-98 4. For the purpose of facilitating the review of activities in the Telecommunication
Standardization Sector, measures should be taken to foster cooperation and coordination
with other organizations concerned with telecommunication standardization and with
the Radiocommunication Sector and the Telecommunication Development Sector. A world
telecommunication standardization assembly shall determine the specific duties, conditions
of participation and rules of procedure for these measures.
Article 14A. PP-98 Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group
197A PP-98 1 The telecommunication standardization advisory group shall be open to representatives
of administrations of Member States and representatives of Sector Members and to chairmen
of the study groups and other groups.
197B PP-98 2. The telecommunication standardization advisory group shall:
197C PP-98 1) review priorities, programmes, operations, financial matters and strategies for
activities in the Telecommunication Standardization Sector;
197CA 1)bis review the implementation of the operational plan of the preceding period in order
to identify areas in which the Bureau has not achieved or was not able to achieve
the objectives laid down in that plan, and advise the Director to take the necessary
corrective measures;
197D PP-98 2) review progress in the implementation of the programme of work established under
No. 188 of this Convention;
197E PP-98 3) provide guidelines for the work of study groups;
197F PP-98 4) recommend measures, inter alia, to foster cooperation and coordination with other
relevant bodies, with the Radiocommunication Sector, the Telecommunication Development
Sector and the General Secretariat;
197G PP-98 5) adopt its own working procedures compatible with those adopted by the world telecommunication
standardization assembly;
197H PP-98 6) prepare a report for the Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau
indicating action in respect of the above items.
197I PP-98 7) prepare a report for the world telecommunication standardization assembly on the
matters assigned to it in accordance with No. 191A and transmit it to the Director
for submission to the assembly.
Article 15. Telecommunication Standardization Bureau
198 1. The Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau shall organize and
coordinate the work of the Telecommunication Standardization Sector.
199 2. The Director shall, in particular:
200 PP-98
a) update annually the work programme approved by the world telecommunication standardization
assembly, in consultation with the chairmen of the telecommunication standardization
study groups and other groups;
201 PP-98
b) participate, as of right, but in an advisory capacity, in the deliberations of world
telecommunication standardization assemblies and of the telecommunication standardization
study groups and other groups. The Director shall make all necessary preparations
for assemblies and meetings of the Telecommunication Standardization Sector in consultation
with the General Secretariat in accordance with No. 94 of this Convention and, as
appropriate, with the other Sectors of the Union, and with due regard for the directives
of the Council concerning these preparations;
202 PP-98 c) process information received from administrations in application of the relevant
provisions of the International Telecommunication Regulations or decisions of the
world telecommunication standardization assembly and prepare it, where appropriate,
in a suitable form for publication;
203 PP-98
d) exchange with Member States and Sector Members data in machine-readable and other
forms, prepare and, as necessary, keep up to date any documents and databases of the
Telecommunication Standardization Sector, and arrange with the Secretary-General,
as appropriate, for their publication in the languages of the Union in accordance
with No. 172 of the Constitution;
204 PP-98 e) submit to the world telecommunication standardization assembly a report on the
activities of the Sector since the last assembly; the Director shall also submit to
the Council and to the Member States and Sector Members such a report covering the
two-year period since the last assembly, unless a second assembly is convened;
205 f) prepare a cost-based budget estimate for the requirements of the Telecommunication
Standardization Sector and transmit it to the Secretary-General for consideration
by the Coordination Committee and inclusion in the Union's budget.
205A PP-98 g) prepare annually a rolling four-year operational plan that covers the subsequent
year and the following three-year period, including financial implications of activities
to be undertaken by the Bureau in support of the Sector as a whole; this four-year
operational plan shall be reviewed by the Telecommunication Standardization Advisory
Group in accordance with Article 14A of this Convention, and shall be reviewed and
approved annually by the Council;
205B PP-98 h) provide the necessary support for the telecommunication standardization advisory
group, and report each year to Member States and Sector Members and to the Council
on the results of its work;
205C PP-98 i) provide assistance to developing countries in the preparatory work for world standardization
assemblies, particularly with regard to matters of a priority nature for those countries.
206 3. The Director shall choose the technical and administrative personnel of the Telecommunication
Standardization Bureau within the framework of the budget as approved by the Council.
The appointment of the technical and administrative personnel is made by the Secretary-General
in agreement with the Director. The final decision on appointment or dismissal rests
with the Secretary-General.
207 4 The Director shall provide technical support, as necessary, to the Telecommunication
Development Sector within the framework of the Constitution and this Convention.
SECTION 7. TELECOMMUNICATION DEVELOPMENT SECTOR
Article 16. Telecommunication Development Conferences
207A The world telecommunication development conference is authorized to adopt the working
methods and procedures for the management of the Sector’s activities in accordance
with No. 145A of the Constitution.
208 1. In accordance with No. 118 of the Constitution, the duties of the telecommunication
development conferences shall be as follows:
209
a) world telecommunication development conferences shall establish work programmes and
guidelines for defining telecommunication development questions and priorities and
shall provide direction and guidance for the work programme of the Telecommunication
Development Sector. They shall decide, in the light of the above-mentioned programmes
of work, on the need to maintain, terminate or establish study groups and allocate
to each of them the questions to be studied;
209A abis) decide on the need to maintain, terminate or establish other groups and appoint
their chairmen and vice-chairmen;
209B ater) establish the terms of reference for the groups referred to in No. 209A above; such
groups shall not adopt questions or recommendations.
210
b) regional telecommunication development conferences shall consider questions and priorities
relating to telecommunication development, taking into account the needs and characteristics
of the region concerned, and may also submit recommendations to world telecommunication
development conferences;
211 c) the telecommunication development conferences should fix the objectives and strategies
for the balanced worldwide and regional development of telecommunications, giving
particular consideration to the expansion and modernization of the networks and services
of the developing countries as well as the mobilization of the resources required
for this purpose. They shall serve as a forum for the study of policy, organizational,
operational, regulatory, technical and financial questions and related aspects, including
the identification and implementation of new sources of funding;
212 d) world and regional telecommunication development conferences, within their respective
sphere of competence, shall consider reports submitted to them and evaluate the activities
of the Sector; they may also consider telecommunication development aspects related
to the activities of the other Sectors of the Union.
213 PP-98 2. The draft agenda of telecommunication development conferences shall be prepared
by the Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau and be submitted by the
Secretary-General to the Council for approval with the concurrence of a majority of
the Member States in the case of a world conference, or of a majority of the Member
States belonging to the region concerned in the case of a regional conference, subject
to the provisions of No. 47 of this Convention.
213A 3 A telecommunication development conference may assign specific matters within its
competence to the telecommunication development advisory group, indicating the recommended
action on those matters.
Article 17. Telecommunication Development Study Groups
214 1. Telecommunication development study groups shall deal with specific telecommunication
questions of general interest to developing countries, including the matters enumerated
in No. 211 above. Such study groups shall be limited in number and created for a limited
period of time, subject to the availability of resources, shall have specific terms
of reference on questions and matters of priority to developing countries and shall
be task-oriented.
215 2. Taking into account No. 119 of the Constitution, the Radiocommunication, Telecommunication
Standardization and Telecommunication Development Sectors shall keep the matters under
study under continuing review with a view to reaching agreement on the distribution
of work, avoiding duplication of effort and improving coordination. The Sectors shall
adopt procedures to conduct such reviews and reach such agreement in a timely and
effective manner.
215A PP-98 3. Each telecommunication development study group shall prepare for the world telecommunication
development conference a report indicating the progress of work and any draft new
or revised recommendations for consideration by the conference.
2158 PP-98 4. Telecommunication development study groups shall study questions and prepare draft
recommendations to be adopted in accordance with the procedures set out in Nos. 246A
to 247 of this Convention.
Article 17A. Telecommunication Development Advisory Group
215C 1 The telecommunication development advisory group shall be open to representatives
of administrations of Member States and representatives of Sector Members and to chairmen
and vice-chairmen of study groups and other groups, and will act through the Director.
215D PP-98 2. The telecommunication development advisory group shall:
215E PP-98 1) review priorities, programmes, operations, financial matters and strategies for
activities in the Telecommunication Development Sector;
215EA 1)bis review the implementation of the operational plan of the preceding period in order
to identify areas in which the Bureau has not achieved or was not able to achieve
the objectives laid down in that plan, and advise the Director to take the necessary
corrective measures.
215F PP-98 2) review progress in the implementation of the programme of work established under
No. 209 of this Convention;
215G PP-98 3) provide guidelines for the work of study groups:
215H PP-98 4) recommend measures, inter alia, to foster cooperation and coordination with the
Radiocommunication Sector, the Telecommunication Standardization Sector and the General
Secretariat, as well as with other relevant development and financial institutions.
215I PP-98 5) adopt its own working procedures compatible with those adopted by the world telecommunication
development conference.
215J PP-98 6) prepare a report for the Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau
indicating action in respect of the above items.
215JA 6bis) prepare a report for the world telecommunication development conference on the matters
assigned to it in accordance with No. 213A of this Convention and transmit it to the
Director for submission to the conference.
215K PP-98 3. Representatives of bilateral cooperation and development aid agencies and multilateral
development institutions may be invited by the Director to participate in the meetings
of the advisory group.
Article 18.
Telecommunication Development Bureau
216 1. The Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau shall organize and coordinate
the work of the Telecommunication Development Sector.
217 2. The Director shall, in particular:
218
a) participate as of right, but in an advisory capacity, in the deliberations of the
telecommunication development conferences and of the telecommunication development
study groups and other groups. The Director shall make all necessary preparations
for conferences and meetings of the Telecommunication Development Sector in consultation
with the General Secretariat in accordance with No. 94 of this Convention and, as
appropriate, with the other Sectors of the Union, and with due regard for the directives
of the Council in carrying out these preparations;
219 b) process information received from administrations in application of the relevant
resolutions and decisions of the Plenipotentiary Conference and telecommunication
development conferences and prepare it, where appropriate, in a suitable form for
publication;
220
c) exchange with members data in machine-readable and other forms, prepare and, as necessary,
keep up to date any documents and databases of the Telecommunication Development Sector,
and arrange with the Secretary-General, as appropriate, for their publication in the
languages of the Union in accordance with No. 172 of the Constitution;
221 d) assemble and prepare for publication, in cooperation with the General Secretariat
and the other Sectors of the Union, both technical and administrative information
that might be especially useful to developing countries in order to help them to improve
their telecommunication networks. Their attention shall also be drawn to the possibilities
offered by the international programmes under the auspices of the United Nations;
222 PP-98 e) submit to the world telecommunication development conference a report on the activities
of the Sector since the last conference; the Director shall also submit to the Council
and to the Member States and Sector Members such a report covering the two-year period
since the last conference;
223 PP-98 f) prepare a cost-based budget estimate for the requirements of the Telecommunication
Development Sector and transmit it to the Secretary-General for consideration by the
Coordination Committee and inclusion in the Union's budget;
223A PP-98
g) prepare annually a rolling four-year operational plan that covers the subsequent
year and the following three-year period, including financial implications of activities
to be undertaken by the Bureau in support of the Sector as a whole; this four-year
operational plan shall be reviewed by the Telecommunication Development Advisory Group
in accordance with Article 17A of this Convention, and shall be reviewed and approved
annually by the Council;
223B PP-98 h) provide the necessary support for the telecommunication development advisory group,
and report each year to the Member States and Sector Members and to the Council on
the results of its work.
224 PP-98 3. The Director shall work collegially with the other elected officials in order
to ensure that the Union's catalytic role in stimulating telecommunication development
is strengthened and shall make the necessary arrangements with the Director of the
Bureau concerned for initiating suitable action, including the convening of information
meetings on the activities of the Sector concerned.
225 PP-98 4. At the request of the Member States concerned, the Director, with the assistance
of the Directors of the other Bureaux and, where appropriate, the Secretary-General,
shall study and offer advice concerning their national telecommunication problems;
where a comparison of technical alternatives is involved, economic factors may be
taken into consideration.
226 5. The Director shall choose the technical and administrative personnel of the Telecommunication
Development Bureau within the framework of the budget as approved by the Council.
The appointment of the personnel is made by the Secretary-General in agreement with
the Director. The final decision for appointment or dismissal rests with the Secretary-General.
227 PP-98 (SUP)
SECTION 8. PROVISIONS COMMON TO THE THREE SECTORS
Article 19. Participation of Entities and Organizations Other than Administrations
in the Union's Activities
228 1. The Secretary-General and the Directors of the Bureaux shall encourage the enhanced
participation in the activities of the Union of the following entities and organizations:
229 PP-98 a) recognized operating agencies, scientific or industrial organizations and financial
or development institutions which are approved by the Member State concerned;
230 PP-98 b) other entities dealing with telecommunication matters which are approved by the
Member State concerned;
231 c) regional and other international telecommunication, standardization, financial
or development organizations.
232 2. The Directors of the Bureaux shall maintain close working relations with those
entities and organizations which are authorized to participate in the activities of
one or more of the Sectors of the Union.
233 PP-98 3. Any request from an entity listed in No. 229 above to participate in the work
of a Sector, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Constitution and this
Convention, approved by the Member State concerned shall be forwarded by the latter
to the Secretary-General.
234 PP-98 4. Any request from an entity referred to in No. 230 above submitted by the Member
State concerned shall be handled in conformity with a procedure established by the
Council. Such a request shall be reviewed by the Council with respect to its conformity
with the above procedure.
234A PP-98 4bis Alternatively, a request from an entity listed in No. 229 or 230 above to become
a Sector Member may be sent direct to the Secretary-General. Those Member States authorizing
such entities to send a request directly to the Secretary-General shall inform the
latter accordingly.
Entities whose Member State has not provided such notice to the Secretary-General
shall not have the option of direct application. The Secretary-General shall regularly
update and publish a list of those Member States that have authorized entities under
their jurisdiction or sovereignty to apply directly.
234B PP-98 4ter Upon receipt, directly from an entity, of a request under No. 234A above, the Secretary-General
shall, on the basis of criteria defined by the Council, ensure that the function and
purposes of the candidate are in conformity with the purposes of the Union. The Secretary-General
shall then, without delay, inform the applicant's Member State inviting approval of
the application. If the Secretary-General receives no objection from the Member State
within four months, a reminder telegram shall be sent. If the Secretary-General receives
no objection within four months after the date of dispatch of the reminder telegram,
the application shall be regarded as approved. If an objection is received from the
Member State by the Secretary-General, the applicant shall be invited by the Secretary-General
to contact the Member State concerned.
234C PP-98 4quater When authorizing direct application, a Member State may notify the Secretary-General
that it assigns author-ity to the Secretary-General to approve any application by
an entity under its jurisdiction or sovereignty.
235 5 Any request from any entity or organization listed in No. 231 above (other than
those referred to in Nos. 269B and 269C of this Convention) to participate in the
work of a Sector shall be sent to the Secretary-General and acted upon in accordance
with procedures established by the Council.
236 6 Any request from an organization referred to in Nos. 269B to 269D of this Convention
to participate in the work of a Sector shall be sent to the Secretary-General, and
the organization concerned shall be included in the lists referred to in No. 237 below.
237 PP-98 7 The Secretary-General shall compile and maintain lists of all entities and organizations
referred to in Nos. 229 to 231 and Nos. 269B to 269D of this Convention that are authorized
to participate in the work of each Sector and shall, at appropriate intervals, publish
and distribute these lists to all Member States and Sector Members concerned and to
the Director of the Bureau concerned. That Director shall advise such entities and
organizations of the action taken on their requests, and shall inform the relevant
Member States.
238 PP-98 8. The conditions of participation in the Sectors by entities and organizations contained
in the lists referred to in No. 237 above are specified in this Article, in Article
33 and in other relevant provisions of this Convention. The provisions of Nos. 25
to 28 of the Constitution do not apply to them.
239 PP-94 PP-98 9. A Sector Member may act on behalf of the Member State which has approved it, provided
that the Member State informs the Director of the Bureau concerned that it is authorized
to do so.
240 PP-98 10 Any Sector Member has the right to denounce such participation by notifying the
Secretary-General. Such participation may also be denounced, where appropriate, by
the Member State concerned or, in case of the Sector Member approved pursuant to No.
234C above, in accordance with criteria and procedures determined by the Council.
Such denunciation shall take effect at the end of six months from the date when notification
is received by the Secretary-General.
241 11. The Secretary-General shall delete from the list of entities and organizations
any entity or organization that is no longer authorized to participate in the work
of a Sector, in accordance with criteria and procedures determined by the Council.
241A PP-98 12. The assembly or conference of a Sector may decide to admit entities or organizations
to participate as Associates in the work of a given study group or subgroups thereof
following the principles set out below:
241B PP-98 1) An entity or organization referred to in Nos. 229 to 231 above may apply to participate
in the work of a given study group as an Associate.
241C PP-98 2) In cases where a Sector has decided to admit Associates, the Secretary-General
shall apply to the applicants the relevant provisions of this Article, taking account
of the size of the entity or organization and any other relevant criteria.
241D PP-98 3) Associates admitted to participate in a given study group are not entered in the
list referred to in No. 237 above.
241E PP-98 4) The conditions governing participation in the work of a study group are specified
in Nos. 248B and 483A of this Convention.
Article 20. Conduct of Business of Study Groups
242 PP-98 1. The radiocommunication assembly, the world telecommunication standardization assembly
and the world telecommunication development conference shall appoint the chairman
and one vice-chairman or more for each study group. In appointing chairmen and vice-chairmen,
particular consideration shall be given to the requirements of competence and equitable
geographical distribution, and to the need to promote more efficient participation
by the developing countries.
243 PP-98 2. If the workload of any study group requires, the assembly or conference shall
appoint such additional vice-chairmen as it deems necessary.
244 3. If, in the interval between two assemblies or conferences of the Sector concerned,
a study group Chairman is unable to carry out his duties and only one Vice-Chairman
has been appointed, then that Vice-Chairman shall take the Chairman's place. In the
case of a study group for which more than one Vice-Chairman has been appointed, the
study group at its next meeting shall elect a new Chairman from among those Vice-Chairmen
and, if necessary, a new Vice-Chairman from among the members of the study group.
It shall likewise elect a new Vice-Chairman if one of the Vice-Chairmen is unable
to carry out his duties during that period.
245 4. Study groups shall conduct their work as far as possible by correspondence, using
modern means of communication.
246 5. The Director of the Bureau of each Sector, on the basis of the decisions of the
competent conference or assembly, after consultation with the Secretary-General and
coordination as required by the Constitution and Convention, shall draw up the general
plan of study group meetings.
246A PP-98 5bis 1) Member States and Sector Members shall adopt questions to be studied in accordance
with procedures established by the relevant conference or assembly, as appropriate,
including the indication whether or not a resulting recommendation shall be the subject
of a formal consultation of Member States.
246B PP-98 2) Recommendations resulting from the study of the above questions are adopted by
a study group in accordance with procedures established by the relevant conference
or assembly, as appropriate. Those recommendations which do not require formal consultation
of Member States for their approval shall be considered as approved.
246C PP-98 3) A recommendation requiring formal consultation of Member States shall be either
treated in accordance with No. 247 below or transmitted to the relevant conference
or assembly, as appropriate.
246D PP-98 4) Nos. 246A and 246B above shall not be used for questions and recommendations having
policy or regulatory implications such as:
246E PP-98 a) questions and recommendations approved by the Radiocommunication Sector relevant
to the work of radiocommunication conferences, and other categories of questions and
recommendations that may be decided by the radiocommunication assembly;
246F PP-98 b) questions and recommendations approved by the Telecommunication Standardization
Sector which relate to tariff and accounting issues, and relevant numbering and addressing
plans:
246G PP-98 c) questions and recommendations approved by the Telecommunication Development Sector
which relate to regulatory, policy and financial issues;
246H PP-98 d) questions and recommendations where there is any doubt about their scope.
247 PP-98 6. Study groups may initiate action for obtaining approval from Member States for
recommendations completed between two assemblies or conferences. The procedures to
be applied for obtaining such approval shall be those approved by the competent assembly
or conference, as appropriate.
247A PP-98 6bis Recommendations approved in application of Nos. 246B or 247 above shall have the
same status as ones approved by the conference or assembly itself.
248 7. Where necessary, joint working parties may be established for the study of questions
requiring the participation of experts from several study groups.
248A PP-98 7bis Following a procedure developed by the Sector concerned, the Director of a Bureau
may, in consultation with the chairman of the study group concerned, invite an organization
which does not participate in the Sector to send representatives to take part in the
study of a specific matter in the study group concerned or its subordinate groups.
248B PP-98 7ter An Associate, as referred to in No. 241A of this Convention, will be permitted to
participate in the work of the selected study group without taking part in any decision-making
or liaison activity of that study group.
249 8. The Director of the relevant Bureau shall send the final reports of the study
groups to the administrations, organizations and entities participating in the Sector.
Such reports shall include a list of the recommendations approved in conformity with
No. 247 above. These reports shall be sent as soon as possible and, in any event,
in time for them to be received at least one month before the date of the next session
of the conference concerned.
Article 21. Recommendations from One Conference to Another
250 1. Any conference may submit to another conference of the Union recommendations within
its field of competence.
251 2 Such recommendations shall be sent to the Secretary-General in good time for assembly,
coordination and communication, as laid down in No. 44 of the General Rules of conferences,
assemblies and meetings of the Union.
Article 22. Relations Between Sectors and with International Organizations
252 1. The Directors of the Bureaux may agree, after appropriate consultation and coordination
as required by the Constitution, the Convention and the decisions of the competent
conferences or assemblies, to organize joint meetings of study groups of two or three
Sectors, in order to study and prepare draft recommendations on questions of common
interest. Such draft recommendations shall be submitted to the competent conferences
or assemblies of the Sectors concerned.
253 2. Conferences or meetings of a Sector may be attended in an advisory capacity by
the Secretary-General, the Deputy Secretary-General, the Directors of the Bureaux
of the other Sectors, or their representatives, and members of the Radio Regulations
Board. If necessary, they may invite, in an advisory capacity, representatives of
the General Secretariat or of any other Sector which has not considered it necessary
to be represented.
254 3. When a Sector is invited to participate in a meeting of an international organization,
its Director is authorized to make arrangements for its representation in an advisory
capacity, taking into account the provisions of No. 107 of this Convention.
