The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) is the worldwide federation of national amateur radio organizations. The membership of the IARUconsists of more than 160 member-societiesin as many countries and separate territories.

The IARUwas founded at a meeting in Paris in 1925 as the international representative of the Amateur Radio movement. At the time the “short waves” were just beginning to be understood and to be exploited for global communication using power levels and antennas that were within reach of private individuals operating from their own homes. These radio amateurs needed an organization to coordinate their activities and to be their voice at international conferences.

How is IARUorganised?

The IARUConstitution has been revised several times. The current Constitutionwas adopted in 1984 and amended slightly in 1989. It recognizes three regional organizations representing the three radio regions that are defined by the ITUfor frequency allocation purposes. Each regional organization is autonomous and operates in accordance with its own Constitution.

The policy and management of the IARUare carried out by its Administrative Council, made up of the three IARUofficers (President, Vice President and Secretary) and two representatives from each of the three regional organizations. The Administrative Council normally meets annually, usually in conjunction with a regional conference.

The International Secretariat of the IARUis the ARRL, the national association for amateur radio in the United States.

The three IARURegions are organised to broadly mirror the structure of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and its related regional telecommunications organisations. The Regions comprise:

• IARURegion 1: Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Northern Asia
• IARURegion 2: The Americas
• IARURegion 3: Asia-Pacific

What does IARUdo for radio amateurs?

The IARUrepresents the interests of the Amateur Radio Service worldwide to relevant international organisations, promoting the interests of amateur radio and seeking to protect and enhance its spectrum privileges.

Over the years, the IARUhas worked hard to give all radio amateurs new bands at 136 kHz, 472 kHz, 5 MHz, 10 MHz, 18 MHz, 24 MHz, and 50 MHz and a regional European allocation at 70 MHz. In addition to that, the IARUhas obtained:

• Extension of the 7 MHz amateur band in Regions 1 and 3.
• Extensive improvements in international roaming for radio amateurs.
• Significant progress towards international certificate harmonisation at “full” level and now at entry level.
• Extensive representation in the Working Parties of ITUand at World Radiocommunication Conferences.
• Sensible emission standards from PLTsystems, involving much work in the international standards forums.
• Support for the development of amateur radio in developing countries.

How does the IARUinteract with the ITUand other international bodies?

IARUseeks to work collaboratively with organisations which influence spectrum allocations and with others where the objectives of amateur radio align.

The IARUis recognised by the United Nationsas a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) by virtue of its consultative status with other United Nations bodies, i​.​e. International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The ITUrecognises the IARUas an international organisation (CV/Art.19, No. 231).

IARUhas worked with the ITUfor nearly a century and is a Sector Member of the Radiocommunication Sector (ITU‑R), playing a full part in the work of ITU‑R as it affects amateur radio spectrum, and also of the Development Sector (ITU‑D), relating to developing countries and emergency communication.

In 1947 the IARUwas one of the first international organizations to enter into a formal agreement with the United Nations Organization for support and cooperation. Today the IARUis in consultative status with ECOSOC.

Since then, IARUhas developed close working relationships with the Regional Telecommunications Organisations (in most cases through a formal MoU):

• African Telecommunications Union (ATU)
• Arab Spectrum Management Group (ASMG)
• Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT)
• Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU)
• Conference of European Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT)
• Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL)
• Regional Commonwealth in the field of Communications (RCC)

In EMC, IARUis a Liaison partner of CISPR, the International Special Committee on Radio Interference, which defines global EMCstandards affecting radio communications, and also a full member of ETSI, the European Telecommunications Standardisation Institute. IARUcontributes to, and is actively involved in, meetings of both organisations.

Other international organisations with which IARUis associated include the IFRC(International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies) with whom we have a formal MoU.