Rome hosted last 10-11 September the second meeting of project team FM PT46 of the Frequency Management working group (WG FM) of the Electronic Communications Committee (ECC), chaired by Jaap Steenge of the Netherlands. FM PT 46 mainly covers issues regarding maritime mobile service and maritime radio-navigation, with the activity conducted reported to WG FM.
Various issues were considered at this meeting, with the following standing out, among others:
- Analysis of the ECA table public consultation document; the proposal under consultation merited the group's support with no additional comments;
- Monitoring of the result of work at the last CPG-PTC meeting, with a view to preparing for the next World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-11): there were no comments;
- Preparation of questions under working group WP 5B of the Radiocommunication Sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R), namely concerning the future of the ITU Publications Service (RR art. 20) and the corresponding appendix 16: they specifically agreed on proposals for changes to the Maritime Mobile Manual;
- Start of research work on the possible inclusion of training and testing to obtain the SRC (short range certificate) and LRC (long range certificate) in the recommendations of CEPT ERC T/R 31-04 and T/R 31-05.
- Start of work on revising a ''reference document'' on Maritime Licensing;
- Monitoring of issues concerning the European Community, specifically evaluation of directives concerning the group's activities: R&TTE Directive and Directive 2001/25/EC ''regarding the minimum level of training of seafarers'';
- Regarding the public consultation on the proposed ECC Decision on the use of GSM on board vessels, a liaison statement was drawn up to be sent to the working group on Regulatory Affairs (WG RA);
- Proposal to maintain ERC Rec. T/R 32-03 on frequencies to be used by on-board communication stations, and withdrawal of ERC Rec.31-03 on harmonised examination procedures for the General Operator's Certificate (GOC) and the Restricted Operator's Certificate (ROC), whose content is covered by ECC Dec. (99)01 on harmonised examination syllabi for the General Operator's Certificate (GOC) and the Restricted Operator's Certificate (ROC), for presentation to the Frequency Management working group (WG FM).
