The regional commonwealth in the field of communication (RCC)

RCC it was created on December 17, 1991 in Moscow by heads of the administrations of communication (AC) of the State Parties of the CIS. This day they signed the agreement on creation of RCC - the organization designed to perform cooperation of the new independent states in an electric and mail service.

Permanent executive body of RCC is the executive committee which location is Moscow. Operating parts of RCC are the commissions, councils of operators of telecommunication and a mail service, the working groups which activity is directed to development and implementation of specific objectives of the commonwealth.

Participants

Participants of RCC and at the same time full members of RCC are AS of the following countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Republic of Uzbekistan, Ukraine and also observers Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia and International organization of space communication Intersputnik. In the Russian Federation accomplishment of the AS functions of the country is assigned on the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications.

Activity

In October, 1992 in Bishkek (the Kyrgyz Republic) heads of governments of the State Parties of the CIS signed the agreement on coordination of the interstate relations in the field of a mail and electric service which the RCC was given authority of the interstate coordinating body in the field of telecommunication and a mail service.

The main objectives of RCC are expansion of mutually beneficial relations between the EXPERT of RCC in harmonization of development of networks and means of communication; coordination of questions in the field of scientific and technical policy, management of a radio frequency spectrum, tariff policy on communication services, trainings; interaction with the international organizations in the field of communication and informatization; mutual information exchange, etc. Decisions of council are made at a consensus (consensus) of his members.

In October, 2002 the governments of the CIS countries made the decision on creation of Coordination council of the State Parties of the CIS on informatization at RCC (Coordination council) – the interstate coordinating body in the field of information technologies. The main directions it activity are establishing multilateral mutually beneficial cooperation of the Commonwealth countries in the field of information and communication technologies, carrying out coordinated actions in formation of the general information space of the CIS, rapprochement of a regulatory framework, exchange of information resources, the complete solution of a problem of information security, ensuring successful integration of the State Parties of the CIS into global information society.

Financing

The budget of RCC forms at the expense of contributions of its participants: AS, operators of telecommunication and mail service and observers. The size and an order of contributions is defined by council of heads of AS.

Membership fees the EXPERT of RCC are intended on implementation of authorized activity of the commonwealth and on the maintenance of its executive body — Executive committee RCC.

The obligation the EXPERT of RCC, including AS of Russia, about payment of membership fees to RCC is enshrined in "The agreement on the creation of the Regional commonwealth in the field of communication" signed of December 17, 1991 in Moscow by heads of AS of the State Parties of the CIS.

According to the regulations on Coordination council approved by the decision of Council of CIS Heads of Government of October 7, 2002, financing of activity of Coordination council is performed at the expense of means of RCC.

2014: Russia rescues RCC from ruin

In August, 2014 the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications prepared the draft of the order of the government which to department assigns ensuring participation of Russia in activity of the Regional commonwealth in the field of communication (RCC) and payment of contributions to it.

To the document follows from the explanatory note that at the 49th meeting of heads of administrations of communication of RCC which took place in July where the Minister of Communications of the Russian Federation Nikolai Nikiforov was re-elected as the chairman of the board of heads of administrations of communication of the commonwealth for four years also the sizes of contributions from Russia were determined. They make about 17.5 million rubles for 2014, 15.7 million rubles for 2015, 15.2 million rubles for 2016 and 15.4 million rubles for 2017.

The Ministry of Communications suggests to pay contributions to RCC for the account of the budgetary funds provided on implementation of the Information Society (2011-2020) state program.

Proving need of assignment for contributions, in explanations to the draft of the order it is noted that "it is difficult to revaluate value of the commonwealth for Russia" and that the country historically takes a key position and has the largest weight in this organization.

Participants of the 49th meeting of heads of administrations of communication of RCC and chairman of the commonwealth Nikolai Nikiforov

"the RCC allows to advance offers and to advocate the interests of the Russian Federation through collective deposits of the commonwealth on key platforms of the international organizations of communication (ITU, Universal Postal Union). Thanks to this regional consolidation the Russian position reflected in the general offers is provided not as a position of a single administration (one of 193) and as offers of the region (1 of 6)", - explains to the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications.

Speaking about the importance of RCC for Russia, in the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications gave TAdviser an example that, for example, the resolution on use of ITU since January 1, 2005 on an equal basis of six official languages, including Russian, about review of the plan of TV broadcasting Stockholm-61 and transition to the new plan of digital TV broadcasting with inclusion in it of all participating countries of the commonwealth was adopted. The convincing victory at the Authorized conference of ITU of 2002 of the candidate of Russia for a post of the director of bureau of a radio communication of ITU Timofeev V.V. who for many years successfully headed work of the sector of a radio communication can become one more example, add in department.

At the same time, existence of an unresolved question with the financing of RCC created at the expense of contributions of its participants is mentioned in the explanatory note.

"Dissolution of the RCC organization because of an unresolved question of financing will have the most serious international resonance and will negatively affect image and reputation of the Russian Federation, - writes the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications. - Especially it is dangerous at the moment when Russia heads for regional integration within the Customs Union and also develops other regional associations".

It should be noted that the question of insufficient funding of the commonwealth was already brought up earlier. So, at the previous meeting of heads of administrations of communication of RCC a year ago about it ^[1]