Inter-American Convention on the International Amateur Radio Permit (IARP) and Protocol of Amendment

Radio Communication - including communications by radio amateurs - is regulated on an international level by the International Telecommunication Union, ITU, a United Nations body.

The ITU Radio Regulation’s definition of the Amateur Service is "A Radio Communication Service for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by amateurs; that is, by duly authorized persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest."

Amateurs have a traditional role in public service by being prepared for and providing communication in times of emergencies, conducting experiments, providing training in radio communications, and encouraging international comity. Amateur radio is not the Citizen’s Band. Operators are strictly licensed by governments and enjoy many more privileges than do "CB" operators. Attached to the license is a unique call sign, which is issued by the licensing authority.[1] A license can only be obtained after successfully passing an amateur radio examination, also conducted under the scrutiny of the licensing authority. The license permits the radio amateur to carry out experiments in communications by radio, subject to a set of conditions. It allows millions to communicate worldwide using speech, computer data, and Morse code, just to name a few. Radio Amateurs can transmit and receive using satellites, send TV images and even 'bounce' their signals off the moon. Radio Amateurs have contributed to the advances in technology that we all enjoy today.

Amateurs sometimes visit other countries and may want to operate their amateur stations. The three types of operating authority are 1) an International Amateur Radio Permit (IARP); 2) a European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) license; and 3) a reciprocal permit from a country which does not participate in either of these two multilateral agreements. To operate under CEPT or IARP, the amateur must be a licensee in the country of citizenship.

The development of a simplified reciprocal agreement for radio amateurs in this hemisphere has been the goal since 1983, so it is critical to continue to aggressively follow-up this question of ratification or accession of the IARP Convention and the Protocol of Amendment, with those administrations that have not already done so. In particular, we recall that the Protocol of Amendment shall only enter into force on the thirtieth day following the date on which two States have become Parties to it.

2. IARP AND PROTOCOL OF AMMENDMENT

The Inter-American Convention on the International Amateur Radio Permit (IARP) was approved at the Second Meeting of CITEL’s Permanent Executive Committee, held in December 1994 [COM/CITEL/RES. 5 (II-94)]. It was subsequently adopted in Montrouis, Haiti at the twenty-fifth regular session of the General Assembly [AG/RES. 1316 (XXV-O/95)].

This Convention provides for temporary operation of amateur radio stations in one Member State by persons holding IARP permits issued by another Member State without need for further review. Any Member State may issue permits to its citizens to operate in another Member State. The IARP Convention came into force on February 23, 1996. The OAS General Secretariat is the depository for its instruments of ratification, acceptance, and accession.

At the thirty third regular session of the OAS General Assembly (Santiago, Chile, June 2003) the Protocol of Amendment to the Inter-American Convention on an International Amateur Radio Permit was adopted. This Protocol grants holders of radio amateur permits of the member countries of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications (CEPT) that have applied Recommendation T/R 61-01 the same rights and privileges that are given to the holders of IARP of the CITEL Member States, which then become States parties to the Protocol, and also grants the holders of IARP the same privileges and exemptions granted to the holders of the CEPT radio amateur licenses of the CEPT Member States that have applied Recommendation T/R 61-01. The Protocol is deposited with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States. Currently, only Panama has adhered to the Protocol of Amendment.

Several of CITEL’s resolutions and recommendations have been approved recommending member states to subscribe to the Convention on the IARP and its’ Protocol of Amendment, for example: PCC.III/RES.13 (III-95), PCC.III/RES. 49 (VII-97), COM/CITEL RES. 55(V-97), COM/CITEL/RES. 93 (VIII-99), PCC.III/RES. 34 (XVI-00and PCC.II/REC.3 (II-03), COM/CITEL DEC.45 (XVI-05). The subject was deliberated upon at the Generally Assembly of the OAS, with a record of such recommendations in the AG/RES.2020 (XXXXIV-O/04).

Lately, the Member States participating at the Fourth Assembly of CITEL in February 2006 in the Declaration of San Jose agreed “To develop strategies for reducing the vulnerability to natural disasters of telecommunication infrastructure and to promote the use of all types and media of communications that may contribute to access to communications in case of disaster. The member states are urged to accede to the Inter-American Convention on an International Amateur Radio Permit (IARP) and its Protocol of Amendment”.

This is an incomplete and ongoing project for the benefit of all traveling amateurs in this hemisphere and for which the active assistance of the Member States is urgently needed to bring about ratification of the Convention and its Protocol of Amendment.

Please see this document for details on the IARP and its Protocol of Amendment.