INSTRUMENT AMENDING THE CONVENTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION
(GENEVA, 1992)
as amended by the Plenipotentiary Conference (Kyoto, 1994) and by the Plenipotentiary Conference (Minneapolis, 1998)
(Amendments adopted by the Plenipotentiary Conference (Marrakesh, 2002))
PART I — Foreword
By virtue of and in implementation of the relevant provisions of the Convention of the International Telecommunication Union (Geneva, 1992), as amended by the Plenipotentiary Conference (Kyoto, 1994) and by the Plenipotentiary Conference (Minneapolis, 1998), in particular those in Article 42 thereof, the Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (Marrakesh, 2002) has adopted the following amendments to the said Convention:
CHAPTER I
FUNCTIONING OF THE UNION
SECTION 1
Article 2
Elections and Related Matters
The Council |
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(MOD)1 |
11 |
a)when a Member State of the Council does not have a representative in attendance at two consecutive ordinary sessions of the Council; |
Members of the Radio Regulations Board |
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(MOD) |
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. |
MOD2 |
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
MOD |
47 |
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. |
SECTION 2
Article 4
The Council
MOD |
57 |
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. |
MOD |
60A |
9bis 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. |
ADD3 |
60B |
9ter Sector Members may be represented as observers at 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. |
ADD |
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. |
ADD*4 |
61B |
10ter The Council shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure. |
ADD |
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 not 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 the Sector advisory groups, and produce a coordinated draft new strategic plan at least four month before that plenipotentiary conference; |
ADD |
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; |
MOD |
73 |
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; |
MOD |
79 |
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; |
MOD |
81 |
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; |
SECTION 3
Article 5
General Secretariat
MOD |
87A |
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; |
SECTION 4
Article 6
Coordination Committee
(MOD) |
111 |
4 A report shall be made of the proceedings of the Coordination Committee and will be made available on request to Member States of the Council. |
SECTION 5
Radiocommunication Sector
Article 8
Radiocommunication Assembly
ADD |
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. |
ADD |
136A |
7) decide on the need to maintain, terminate or establish other groups and appoint their chairmen and vice-chairmen; |
ADD |
136B |
8) establish the terms of reference for the groups referred to in No. 136A above; such groups shall not adopt questions or recommendations. |
MOD |
137A |
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 10
Radio Regulations Board
MOD |
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; |
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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. |
||
MOD |
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. |
ADD |
141A |
3bis Two members of the Board, designated by the Board, shall participate, in an advisory capacity, 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. |
ADD |
142A |
4bis The 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 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. |
MOD |
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. |
Article 11A
Radiocommunication Advisory Group
MOD |
160A |
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. |
MOD |
160C |
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; |
ADD |
160CA |
1bis) 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 on the necessary corrective measures; |
ADD |
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
MOD |
164 |
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; |
MOD |
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; |
MOD |
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; |
MOD |
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; |
MOD |
175 |
3) coordinate the work of the radiocommunication study groups and other groups and be responsible for the organization of that work; |
MOD |
175B |
3ter) take practical measures to facilitate the participation of developing countries in the radiocommunication study groups and other groups. |
MOD |
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; |
MOD |
181A |
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; |
SECTION 6
Telecommunication Standardization Sector
Article 13
World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly
ADD |
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. |
MOD |
187 |
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; |
ADD |
191bis |
f) decide on the need to maintain, terminate or establish other groups and appoint their chairmen and vice-chairmen; |
ADD |
191ter |
g) establish the terms of reference for the groups referred to in No. 191bis above; such groups shall not adopt questions or recommendations. |
MOD |
191B |
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 14A
Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group
MOD |
197A |
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. |
ADD |
197CA |
1bis) 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 on the necessary corrective measures; |
Article 15
Telecommunication Standardization Bureau
MOD |
200 |
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; |
MOD |
201 |
b) participate, as of right, but in an advisory capacity, in the deliberations of the 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; |
MOD |
205A |
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; |
SECTION 7
Telecommunication Development Sector
Article 16
Telecommunication Development Conferences
ADD |
207A |
1 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. |
ADD |
209A |
a bis) decide on the need to maintain, terminate or establish other groups and appoint their chairmen and vice-chairmen; |
ADD |
209B |
a ter) establish the terms of reference for the groups referred to in No. 209A above; such groups shall not adopt questions or recommendations. |
MOD |
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; |
MOD |
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 17A
Telecommunication Development Advisory Group
MOD |
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. |
ADD |
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 on the necessary corrective measures. |
ADD |
215JA |
6 bis) prepare a report for the 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. |
Article 18
Telecommunication Development Bureau
MOD |
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; |
MOD |
223A |
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; |
CHAPTER II
MOD |
SPECIFIC PROVISIONS REGARDING CONFERENCES AND ASSEMBLIES |
Article 23
MOD |
Admission to Plenipotentiary Conferences |
|
SUP*5 |
255 to 266 |
|
(MOD) |
267 |
1 The following shall be admitted to plenipotentiary conferences: |
ADD |
268A |
b) the elected officials, in an advisory capacity; |
ADD |
268B |
c) the Radio Regulations Board, in accordance with No. 141A of this Convention, in an advisory capacity; |
MOD |
269 |
d) observers of the following organizations, agencies and entities: |
ADD* |
269A |
i) the United Nations; |
ADD* |
269B |
ii) regional telecommunication organizations mentioned in Article 43 of the Constitution; |
ADD* |
269C |
iii) intergovernmental organizations operating satellite systems; |
ADD* |
269D |
iv) the specialized agencies of the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency; |
ADD* |
269E |
v) Sector Members referred to in Nos. 229 and 231 of this Convention and organizations of an international character representing them. |
ADD* |
269F |
2 The General Secretariat and the three Bureaux of the Union shall be represented at the conference in an advisory capacity. |
Article 24
MOD |
Admission to Radiocommunication Conferences |
||
SUP* |
270 to 275 |
||
(MOD) |
276 |
1 The following shall be admitted to radiocommunication conferences: |
|
(MOD) |
278 |
b) observers of organizations and agencies referred to in Nos. 269A to 269D of this Convention; |
|
MOD |
279 |
c) observers of other international organizations invited by the government and admitted by the conference in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter I of the General Rules of conferences, assemblies and meetings of the Union; |
|
SUP* |
281 |
||
(MOD) |
282 |
e) observers of Member States participating in a non-voting capacity in a regional radiocommunication conference of a region other than that to which the said Member States belong; |
|
ADD* |
282A |
f) in an advisory capacity, the elected officials, when the conference is discussing matters coming within their competence, and the members of the Radio Regulations Board. |
Article 25
MOD |
Admission to Radiocommunication Assemblies, World Telecommunication Standardization Assemblies and Telecommunication Development Conferences |
||
SUP* |
283 to 294 |
||
(MOD) |
295 |
1 The following shall be admitted to the assembly or conference: |
|
MOD |
297 |
b) observers of the following organizations and agencies: |
|
SUP* |
298 |
||
ADD* |
298A |
i) regional telecommunication organizations mentioned in Article 43 of the Constitution; |
|
ADD* |
298B |
ii) intergovernmental organizations operating satellite systems; |
|
ADD* |
298C |
iii) any other regional organization or other international organization dealing with matters of interest to the assembly or conference; |
|
ADD* |
298D |
iv) the United Nations; |
|
ADD* |
298E |
v) the specialized agencies of the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency; |
|
ADD* |
298F |
c) representatives of Sector Members concerned. |
|
ADD |
298G |
2 The elected officials, the General Secretariat and the Bureaux of the Union, as appropriate, shall be represented at the assembly or conference in an advisory capacity. Two members of the Radio Regulations Board, designed by the Board, shall participate in radiocommunication assemblies in an advisory capacity. |
|
SUP* |
Article 26 Article 27 Article 28 Article 29 Article 30 |
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SUP* |
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SUP* |
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SUP* |
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SUP* |
Article 31
Credentials for Conferences
MOD |
334 |
5 Credentials shall be deposited with the secretariat of the conference as early as possible; to that end, Member States should send their credentials, prior to the opening date of the conference, to the Secretary-General who shall transmit them to the secretariat of the conference as soon as the latter has been established. The committee referred to in No. 68 of General Rules of conferences, assemblies and other meetings of the Union shall be entrusted with the verification thereof and shall report on its conclusions to the Plenary Meeting within the time specified by the latter. Pending the decision of the Plenary Meeting thereon, any delegation shall be entitled to participate in the conference and to exercise the right to vote of the Member State concerned. |
CHAPTER III
RULES OF PROCEDURE
Article 32
MOD |
General Rules of Conferences, Assemblies and Meetings of the Union |
|
MOD |
339A |
1 The General Rules of conferences, assemblies and meetings of the Union are adopted by the Plenipotentiary Conference. The provisions governing the procedure for amending those Rules and the entry into force of amendments are contained in the Rules themselves. |
MOD |
340 |
2 The General Rules of conferences, assemblies and meetings of the Union shall apply without prejudice to the amendment provisions contained in Article 55 of the Constitution and in Article 42 of this Convention. |
CHAPTER IV
OTHER PROVISIONS
Article 33
Finances
MOD |
476 |
4 |
1) The organizations referred to in Nos. 269A to 269E of this Convention and other organizations of an international character (unless they have been exempted by the Council, subject to reciprocity) and Sector Members which participate, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, in a plenipotentiary conference, in a conference, assembly or meeting of a Sector of the Union, or in a world conference on international telecommunications, shall share in defraying the expenses of the conferences, assemblies and meetings in which they participate on the basis of the cost of these conferences and meetings and in accordance with the Financial Regulations. Nevertheless, Sector Members will not be charged separately for their attendance at a conference, assembly or meeting of their respective Sectors, except in the case of regional radiocommunication conferences. |
CHAPTER VI
ARBITRATION AND AMENDMENT
Article 42
Provisions for Amending this Convention
MOD |
523 |
5 Unless specified otherwise in the preceding paragraphs of this Article, which shall prevail, the General Rules of conferences, assemblies and meetings of the Union shall apply. |
1 Editorial modification of an existing provision
2 Modification of an existing provision
3 Addition of new provision
4 An existing provision moved from another place in the Final Acts to the place indicated
5 Provision moved to another place in the Final Acts
PART II — Date of Entry into Force
The amendments contained in the present instrument shall, as a whole and in the form of one single instrument, enter into force on 1 January 2004 between Member States being at that time parties to the Constitution and the Convention of the International Telecommunication Union (Geneva, 1992), and having deposited before that date their instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval of, or accession to, the present amending instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the original of the present instrument amending the Convention of the International Telecommunication Union (Geneva, 1992), as amended by the Plenipotentiary Conference (Kyoto, 1994) and by Plenipotentiary Conference (Minneapolis, 1998).
Done at Marrakesh, 18 October 2002