The sixth meeting of project team A (PT-A) of the Conference Preparatory Group (CPG) was held last 13-16 January in Malta. The gathering chaired by T. Azzarelli was attended by about 50 participants, representing national regulatory authorities (NRAs), operators and regional organisations such as the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), the European Meteorological Network (EUMETNET) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
The group approved updating of the base documents that support European common proposals (ECPs) for the upcoming 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15).
Some ECPs have already been approved at this stage of European preparation. They concern allocation of 600 MHz of additional spectrum to Earth exploration satellite service in the 9200-9300 MHz and 9900-10400 MHz bands, of 7/8 GHz and concerning strengthened protection of space operations in the 410-420 MHz band.
The group is also responsible for other items, whose studies are ongoing or about which no compromise has been reached regarding the definitive position CEPT should adopt. They specifically concern issues associated to broadband PPDR (public protection and disaster relief), the need to review leap second methodology in order to make Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) continuous and also, regarding regulatory questions concerning procedures for inclusion by reference in the Radio Regulations (RR) of resolutions and recommendations from past WRCs, the question of the addition, amendment or withdrawal of footnotes from countries, with a view to simplifying the RR.
The next PT-A meeting, where the respective ECPs are expected to be approved, is scheduled for April 2015.
