By Resolution 79, the Minneapolis Plenipotentiary Conference instructed the ITU Secretary-General, in consultation with the Director of the TSB and a balanced group of appropriate experts appointed by Council, to:

1. to undertake an exploratory study of the evolution of the respective roles and responsibilities of Member States and Sector Members (or recognized operating agencies) as regards the regulation and operation of international telecommunication services;

2. to consider the wider context of multilateral treaty obligations that affect ITU Member States and those they regulate;

3. to review the extent to which the current needs of Member States are reflected in the basic instruments of the Union and in particular the International Telecommunication Regulations [available in PDF, WinWord];

4. to report to the Council on the above points, by no later than the year 2000, and to advise the Council of any action that the Union could decide to take, including the convening of a world conference on international telecommunications, in order to define further the relations between Member States and recognized operating agencies as regards the regulation and operation of international telecommunication services.

At the 1999 Council, a document on the appointment of experts to advise of the reform of the ITRs was presented and discussed. A list of experts was established. The first meeting to discuss this topic was held from 8 to10 November, 1999, in Geneva.

A list of background documents and working documents are available below, as well as contributions from the group of experts since the meeting in November.   

Links to other related ITU websites

• World Telecom Policy Forum 1998 Trade in Telecom Services
• Reforming the International Accounting Rate System
• Regulation and Regulators