The Soutghate amateur radio news service posted an odd news story today, concerning IARU Region 1 and a group called the European Radio Amateurs Organization (EURAO). EURAO is a relatively new organization, that, according to its website,
…is intended to be a meeting point for all those independent radio amateurs’ associations around the world, mainly from Europe, interested in sharing their activities and experiences, making up common services, working together in new projects and, of course, lobbying Public Administrations.
That last bit is what concerns me. EURAO recently signed a Letter of Understanding (LoU) with the Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT). According to the article, the EURAO feels that the IARU tried to somehow block the LOU with CEPT, and they are up in arms about this.
Putting aside, for the time being, the foibles of the IARU and the dissatisfaction with the actions of some of the national amateur radio associations around the world, do we really need another amateur radio group lobbying the international organizations that govern amateur radio? The article is sketchy on why EURAO feels so strongly about this, and the Southgate article, which appears to be written by an EUROA official, sounds quite snarky. The EURAO website doesn’t offer much information about the purpose of the group and its goals.
I’d like to know more about this situation. If any of you can enlighten me on the issues here, please feel to enter a comment below or to email me directly.