Section 0 − Development of the Rules of Procedure and proposals to resolve inconsistencies encountered in the application of the Radio Regulations (WRC-03)
The Board shall develop a new Rule of Procedure only when there is a clear need with proper justification for such a Rule. For all such Rules, the Board shall submit to the coming world radiocommunication conference the necessary modifications to the Radio Regulations, to alleviate such difficulties or inconsistencies and include its suggestions in the Report of the Director to the next world radiocommunication conference. (WRC-03)
If such a need is not identified under No. 13.0.1, the Board shall submit also to the coming world radiocommunication conference the necessary modifications to the Radio Regulations to alleviate such difficulties or inconsistencies. (WRC-03)
Section I − Assistance to administrations by the Bureau
When an administration has difficulty in applying the procedures of Articles 9 and 11 and Appendices 30, 30A and 30B, the Bureau shall, upon request, endeavour to assist in such cases.
When an administration has difficulty in resolving a case of harmful interference and seeks the assistance of the Bureau, the latter shall, as appropriate, help in identifying the source of the interference and seek the cooperation of the responsible administration in order to resolve the matter, and prepare a report for consideration by the Board, including draft recommendations to the administrations concerned.
When an administration so requests, the Bureau shall, using such means at its disposal as are appropriate in the circumstances, conduct a study of reported cases of alleged contravention or non-observance of these Regulations and shall prepare a report for consideration by the Board, including draft recommendations to the administrations concerned.
Section II − Maintenance of the Master Register and of World Plans by the Bureau
The Bureau shall be solely responsible for maintenance of the Master Register in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, and shall:
a) following consultation with administrations, from time to time make any necessary adjustments to the format, structure and presentation of data in the Master Register;
b) whenever it appears from reliable information available that a recorded assignment has not been brought into use, or is no longer in use, or continues to be in use but not in accordance with the notified required characteristics as specified in Appendix 4, the Bureau shall consult the notifying administration and request clarification as to whether the assignment was brought into use in accordance with the notified characteristics or continues to be in use in accordance with the notified characteristics. Such a request shall include the reason for the query. In the event of a response and subject to the agreement of the notifying administration the Bureau shall cancel, suitably modify, or retain the basic characteristics of the entry. If the notifying administration does not respond within three months, the Bureau shall issue a reminder. In the event the notifying administration does not respond within one month of the first reminder, the Bureau shall issue a second reminder. In the event the notifying administration does not respond within one month of the second reminder, action taken by the Bureau to cancel the entry shall be subject to a decision of the Board. In the event of non-response or disagreement by the notifying administration, the entry will continue to be taken into account by the Bureau when conducting its examinations until the decision to cancel or modify the entry is made by the Board. In the event of a response, the Bureau shall inform the notifying administration of the conclusion reached by the Bureau within three months of the administration’s response. When the Bureau is not in a position to comply with the three-month deadline referred to above, the Bureau shall so inform the notifying administration together with the reasons therefor. In case of disagreement between the notifying administration and the Bureau, the matter shall be carefully investigated by the Board, including taking into account submissions of additional supporting materials from administrations through the Bureau within the deadlines as established by the Board. The application of this provision shall not preclude the application of other provisions of the Radio Regulations. (WRC-19)
c) enter in the Master Register and publish in the Preface to the International Frequency Information Circular (BR IFIC) all frequencies prescribed by these Regulations for common use; (WRC-19)
d) make appropriate entries in the Master Register resulting from its examinations of frequency assignment notices in accordance with Article 11;
e) maintain and periodically update the Preface to the BR IFIC. (WRC-19)
The Bureau shall also compile, for publication by the Secretary-General in the form of the BR IFIC, comprehensive listings of entries extracted from the Master Register and such other extracts as may periodically be required. (WRC-19)
The Bureau shall maintain master copies of all world frequency allotment or assignment plans contained in Appendices to these Regulations, or adopted by world conferences convened by the Union, including, where applicable, the carrier-to-interference ratios, or margins, as appropriate, associated with each assignment or allotment, and incorporating any modifications resulting from the successful application of the relevant modification procedure, and shall provide such copies in an appropriate form for publication by the Secretary-General when justified by circumstances.
Section III − Maintenance of the Rules of Procedure by the Bureau
The Board shall approve a set of Rules of Procedure to govern its own activities and those of the Bureau in the application of the Radio Regulations, to ensure the impartial, accurate and consistent processing of frequency assignment notices and to assist in the application of these Regulations.
In the preparation and development of the Rules of Procedure, the Board, the Bureau and administrations shall apply the following steps:
a) the Bureau shall also publish under No. 13.17, on the ITU website, a list of future proposed Rules and the time-frame for their consideration by the Board and for comments by administrations on the list of future proposed Rules;
b) any practice used by the Bureau in the application of the provisions of the Radio Regulations shall be identified and proposed for inclusion in the Rules of Procedure in accordance with the procedures of this section;
c) all draft Rules prepared by the Bureau shall be available to administrations on the ITU website and by Circular Letter at least ten weeks prior to the start of the Board meeting;
d) any comments on these draft Rules of Procedure from administrations shall be submitted to the Bureau at least four weeks before the start of the Board meeting;
e) in submitting comments administrations should, if possible, suggest the actual text of their proposed Rules;
f) all comments from administrations shall be posted on the ITU website. However, those comments that do not meet the above time-limits shall not be considered by the Board;
g) any Rules of Procedure are to be in conformity with the spirit and principle of the Constitution, Convention and the Radio Regulations and shall avoid any relaxation to the application of the corresponding provisions of the Radio Regulation to which the Rules make reference. (WRC-03)
The Rules of Procedure shall include, inter alia, calculation methods and other data required for the application of these Regulations. These shall be based upon the decisions of world radiocommunication conferences and the Recommendations of the Radiocommunication Sector. Where requirements arise for new data for which there are no such decisions or Recommendations the Bureau shall develop such data in accordance with No. 13.14, and shall revise them when appropriate decisions or Recommendations are available.
The Bureau shall submit to the Board the final drafts of all proposed changes to the Rules of Procedure. The Rules of Procedure approved by the Board shall be published and shall be open for comment by administrations. In case of continuing disagreement, the matter shall be submitted by the Director in his report, with the agreement of the concerned administration, to the next world radiocommunication conference. The Director of the Bureau shall also inform the appropriate study groups of this matter. Pending resolution of the matter, the Board and the Bureau shall continue to use the particular Rule of Procedure in dispute but, following resolution of the matter by a decision of a world radiocommunication conference, the Board shall promptly review and revise as necessary the Rules of Procedure and the Bureau shall review all relevant findings.
If an administration, or the Board or the Bureau identifies a need for a special study, in relation to the Rules of Procedure, of any provisions of these Regulations or of a regional agreement with an associated frequency allotment or assignment plan, the case shall be handled under No. 13.14. The same shall apply if as a consequence of the review of a finding or other action by the Board it is necessary to re-examine the Rules of Procedure.
The Rules of Procedure shall be maintained and published in a form that will facilitate easy modification and maximize their value to administrations and other users.
Section IV − Board documents
The Bureau shall, where appropriate, prepare draft modifications or additions to the Rules of Procedure which shall be made available for comment before being submitted to the Board. One week beforehand, the draft agenda of each Board meeting shall be sent by facsimile, or mailed, to all administrations and shall also be made available in electronic form. At the same time, all documents which are both referred to in that draft agenda and available at that time shall be sent by facsimile, or mailed, to those administrations requesting them as well as simultaneously being made accessible in electronic form.
Within one week after a meeting of the Board, a summary of all decisions, including the reasons for each decision, taken in that meeting shall be made available on the ITU website. After each Board meeting the approved minutes of that meeting shall normally be circulated at least one month before the start of the following meeting to administrations by means of a circular letter and these approved minutes shall also be made available on the ITU website. (WRC-03)
A copy of all documents considered at the Board’s meetings, including the minutes, shall be available for public inspection by administrations in the offices of the Bureau, and shall be made available in electronic form as soon as possible. (WRC-2000)
Notes
13.6