WORLD TRADE G/TBT/Notif.96.266
20August 1996
ORGANIZATION
(96-3268)
Committee onTechnical Barriers toTrade
NOTIFICATION
Thefollowing notification isbeing circulated inaccordance withArticle 10.6.
1. Member toAgreement notifying: CANADA
Ifapplicable, name oflocalgovernment involved (Articles 3.2and7.2):
2. Agency responsible: Industry Canada
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments regarding thenotification canbe
indicated ifdifferent from above:
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X],2.10.1 [],5.6.2 [],5.7.1 [],other:
4. Products covered (HSorCCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICSnumbers maybeprovided inaddition, where applicable): Radiocommunication
systems andservices
5. Title, number ofpages andlanguage(s) ofthenotified document: Regulations
Respecting Radiocommunication, Radio Authorizations, Exemptions fromAuthorizations
andtheOperation ofRadio Apparatus, Radio-Sensitive Equipment andInterference-
Causing Equipment (pages 2104-2155)
6. Description ofcontent: Industry Canada manages theuseanddevelopment oftheradio
frequency spectrum. Acoreobjective ofspectrum policy istopromote andsupport the
orderly development andefficient operation ofradiocommunication systems andservices
tomeet Canada 'ssovereignty andsecurity needs aswellastoyield economic, cultural
andsocial benefits forCanadians.
Theradio frequency spectrum isthebasis forthemulti-billion dollar Canadian
telecommunications industry andisalsoessential tobroadcasting, mobile radio, satellite,
cellular andpublic safety services. Asalimited, butrenewable, natural resource, the
radio frequency spectrum requires regulations: (i)toprotect itfrom misuse; (ii)to
ensure theleast amount ofinterference toradio users; (iii)toachieve optimum
utilization oftheradio frequency spectrum; (iv)toensure thatdevelopments inCanada
areinaccord withoverall social andeconomic policy objectives; and(v)toestablish a
sufficient levelofcontrol overtheuseofthespectrum.
With therapid evolution andapplication ofnewradio technologies andnew
competitive services, thespectrum isbecoming anincreasingly congested andlimited
resource. Equitable exploitation ofthespectrum resource requires anefficient and
effective body ofregulations, standards, policies andprocedures.
./.G/TBT/Notif.96.266
Page2
With theproclamation oftheRadiocommunication ActinOctober 1989, aseries
ofnew, broadened andflexible jurisdictional powers were granted totheMinister and
theGovernor inCouncil. Italsocalled forthecreation ofanewregulatory structure,
andledtheDepartment toconduct areview ofprogramme, policy andregulation and
thentodevelop newregulations. Consultation withthestakeholders atthestartofthis
process wasidentified asvitaltothesuccess oftheproject.
The Radiocommunication Regulations will replace theGeneral Radio
Regulations, Parts IandII,theRadio Operators 'Certificate Regulations andthe
Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
7. Objective andrationale: Protection ofthenetwork
8. Relevant documents: Canada Gazette, PartI,27July1996
9. Proposed dateofadoption:
Proposed dateofentry intoforce:Notstated
10. Final dateforcomments: 10October 1996
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X]oraddress andtelefax number ofother
body: