Radiocommunication Advisory Group (RAG) - Geneva

Geneva hosted last 24-25 January the 14th meeting of the Radiocommunications Advisory Group (RAG) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
 
The RAG's impact on decisions of the Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-06) concerning cost cutting were debated, specifically the fact that PP-06 was unable to approve a financial plan for the 2008-2011 four-year period, with a 40 million Swiss francs (about 24.7 million euros) deficit remaining. It was in this context that the RAG sought to advise the Director about the areas where he might be able to cut costs, and about those where cuts were not advisable as they could jeopardise functioning of the Radiocommunication Department (BR).
 
As for examination of the working methods of the Study Groups from the Union's Radiommunication Sector (ITU-R), the RAG focused among others on questions such as electronic registration, though without disregarding the implications same may have with respect to signature assignment, and the switch from paper to electronic documentation. It also decided to set up a correspondence group that will focus specifically on working methods for the Radiocommunication Assembly, the Radiocommunication study groups and the Radiocommunication Advisory Group.
 
Other issues were also considered, such as application of the common patent registration policy, interconnection monitoring and collaboration between the three ITU sectors, activities after the Regional Radiocommunication Conference (RRC-06), preparation of the next Radiocommunication Assembly (RA-07), the 2007-2008 operational plan and the proposed budget for 2008-2009.
 
The next RAG meeting has been scheduled for 13-15 February 2008.