DA # 00-2715
December 1, 2000
The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Enforcement Bureau participated in the 24th formal meeting of the Mixed (U.S./Mexico) Commission in Guanajuato, Guanajuato Mexico during the week of November 13, 2000. The Mixed 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 November meeting, the participants reviewed 111 cases of harmful radio interference and of these, officially closed 41 cases at the national or Mixed Commission level. Two other cases will be referred to the High Level Consultative Commission on Telecommunications composed of officials from the U.S. State Department, the FCC, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) along with Mexican officials from the Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) and the Comision Federal de Telecomunicaciones (COFETEL).
The Mixed Commission, formed in 1982, is comprised of representatives from the FCC and the SCT 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, Enforcement Bureau, serves as the Co-Chair of the Mixed Commission for the United States and Enrique Cervantes Martinez, Coordinator General, Enforcement, serves as the Co-Chair for the United Mexican States.
The next Mixed Commission meeting is scheduled to be conducted in San Francisco, CA during the second week of May, 2001.
By the Chief, Enforcement Bureau.