2017-16242. Notice of Public Meeting of the International Telecommunication Advisory Committee and Preparations for Upcoming International Telecommunications Meetings

This notice announces a meeting of the Department of State's International Telecommunication Advisory Committee (ITAC). The ITAC will meet on September 07, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. ET at 1120 20th St., 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20036. At this meeting, the ITAC will discuss preparations for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2018 Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-18), review the results of recent multilateral meetings, and discuss preparations for upcoming multilateral meetings at ITU, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). In Federal Register Notice 9920 ^[1] published on March 20, 2017, the Department of State sought advice from stakeholders and interested parties to inform its upcoming preparations for PP-18. No written comments were received.

The meeting will focus on the following topics:

• Initiation of 2018 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-18) Preparatory Process
• Results of Recent Multilateral Meetings

○ ITU Council-17

○ Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL)

Permanent Consultative Committee on Telecommunication/ICT PCC-I

Permanent Consultative Committee on Radiocommunication (PCC-II)

• Preparations for Upcoming Multilateral Activities

○ ITU Council Working Groups and Experts Group on International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs)

○ ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC)

○ OECD Committee on Digital Economy Policy—November 20-24, 2017

○ APEC Telecommunications Working Group (APEC TEL 56)—December 11-15, 2017

PP-18 will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from October 29 to November 17, 2018. A Plenipotentiary Conference, which takes place every four years, is the highest policy-making body of the Union. PP-18 is expected to determine the overall policy direction of the ITU; adopt the strategic and financial plans for the next four years; elect the 48 members of Council, 12 members of the Radio Regulations Board, and five elected officials of the ITU; and consider and adopt, if appropriate, modifications to the ITU Constitution and Convention.

Attendance at the ITAC meeting is open to the public as seating capacity allows. The public will have an opportunity to provide comments at this meeting at the invitation of the chair.

Further details on this ITAC meeting will be announced on the Department of State's email list, [e-mail]. Use of the ITAC list is limited to meeting announcements and confirmations, distribution of agendas and other relevant meeting documents. The Department of State welcomes any U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident to remain on or join the ITAC listserv by registering by email via [e-mail] and providing his or her name, email address, telephone contact and the company, organization, or community that he or she is representing, if any. Persons wishing to request reasonable accommodation during the meeting should send their requests to [e-mail] no later than August 28, 2017. Requests made after that time will be considered, but might not be able to be satisfied.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Please send all inquiries to [e-mail].

Douglas C. May,

Acting Coordinator, International Communications and Information Policy, Department of State.

Footnotes

1.  https://www.federalregister.gov/​documents/​2017/​03/​20/​2017-05456/​notice-of-public-meeting-of-the-international-telecommunication-advisory-committee-and-preparations.