11th Joint ERO/ETO Council - Copenhagen

Copenhagen hosted last 14-15 May the 11^th joint meeting of the Councils of Administration of the European Radiocommunications Office (ERO) and the European Telecommunications Office (ETO). Highlights included the election of Chris van Diepenbeek (the Netherlands) and Geir Jan Sundal (Norway) as, respectively, the new Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Councils, thus succeeding Jean-Yves Monfort (France) and the same Chris van Diepenbeek, who moves up to the new position.

Standing out among the subjects debated were approval of the 2007 accounts and respective audit report, the draft budget for 2009 and the financial plan for 2009-2011. For the time being plans call for maintaining the value of the contribution units, to be reassessed by the May 2009 councils, and also the current team size. Also approved was the draft working programme for 2009, liable to be adjusted depending on the course of 2008, co-ordination with the ECC and results of the work on pondering the future role of CEPT and the Office, as well as developments at EU level. Also, at administrative level, note the resolution of some issues concerning personnel pensions.

There was also extensive debate about the work being carried out by the Ad Hoc Audit Group, which presented an interim report. A number of aspects were approved concerning the structure of the final document, which may possibly be endorsed at the next meeting.

As usual, the participants reviewed the current ratification status of the Convention that will enable the European Communications Office (ECO) to take force and thus replace the current bipartite ERO/ETO structure. Portugal has still not ratified the document, although it did report positive developments in the process. The new Convention is thus expected to take effect in the near future.

Note also that the Director was authorised to sign an agreement with the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT), setting out the conditions for using the EFIS software; the principles underlying same have already been approved. Work also began on preparing for the next CEPT Conference, with approval for holding it between late September and early October 2009.

The next ERO/ETO Councils have been scheduled for 9-11 December 2008; the meeting may possibly take place under the ECO aegis.