DA # 02-1063
May 8, 2002
The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Enforcement Bureau participated in the 26th formal meeting of the Joint (U.S./Mexico) Commission in Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico during the week of April 22, 2002. The Joint Commission, also known as Comision Mixta Encargada de Resolver Asuntos de Radiointerferencia (CMERAR), is an international organization charged with resolving harmful radio interference problems relating to licensed radio systems operating along and within the common border areas between the United States and Mexico. During the meeting, the participants reviewed 115 cases of harmful radio interference and, of these, officially closed 47 cases at the national or Joint Commission level. This group is composed of officials from the U.S. State Department, the FCC, National Telecommunications Information Adminstration and other Federal Agencies along with Mexican officials from the Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) and the Comision Federal de Telecomunicaciones (COFETEL).
The Joint Commission (formerly known as the Mixed Commission), formed in 1982, is comprised of representatives from the FCC and the SCT and COFETEL of the United Mexican States. This organization historically handles over 100 cases each year involving both interference to U.S. stations from radio facilities operating in Mexico and to Mexican stations from similar operations in the U.S. Quite often, these cases involve interference to public safety radio services on both sides of the border. Many of the cases are handled at the local level (by FCC Enforcement Bureau District office personnel) by conducting meetings in Mexico and the United States which involve the FCC's Mexican counterparts at SCT and COFETEL. Arlan van Doorn, Senior Advisor, FCC Enforcement Bureau, serves as the Co-Chair of the Joint Commission for the United States and Licenciado Roberto Garcia, Coordinador General Ejecutivo, COFETEL, serves as the Co-Chair for the United Mexican States.
The next Joint Commission meeting is scheduled to be conducted in the United States, during December 2002.
By the Chief, Enforcement Bureau.
Enforcement Bureau contact: John Winston at (202) 419-7450