Road to WRC-27: Key Milestones from WRC-23 to the Final Acts

Road to WRC-27: Key Milestones from WRC-23 to the Final Acts

The journey to the World Radiocommunication Conference 2027 (WRC-27) is a structured four-year process involving technical studies, regulatory analysis, national consultations and regional coordination before the final negotiations take place. Rather than being a single event, WRC-27 represents the culmination of a continuous cycle established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to ensure that decisions on the international use of radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbital resources are based on sound technical evidence and broad international consensus.

The process officially began with the conclusion of WRC-23 in Dubai, where Member States adopted the Final Acts, revised the Radio Regulations, and approved Resolution 813 (WRC-23), establishing the agenda for WRC-27. This was followed by the first Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM27-1), the commencement of ITU-R technical studies, and parallel national and regional preparations that will continue until the conference convenes in Shanghai, China, from 18 October to 12 November 2027.

The timeline below summarizes the principal milestones leading to WRC-27, highlighting the major activities undertaken by the ITU-R, national administrations, regional organizations and the ITU Council throughout the preparation cycle.

Table . Road to WRC-27: Key Milestones in the ITU Preparatory Process (2023–2027)

Step	Indicative date	Description
WRC-23 Decisions	20 November–15 December 2023	WRC-23 concluded in Dubai and adopted decisions, resolutions and the agenda framework that launched the next WRC cycle.
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WRC-27 Agenda Established	December 2023–2024	The WRC-27 agenda was defined through WRC-23 Resolution 813 and subsequently finalized through the ITU Council process.
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CPM27-1	18–19 December 2023	The first Conference Preparatory Meeting organized the preparatory work, assigned responsibilities and structured the draft CPM Report.
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ITU-R Technical and Regulatory Studies	2024–2026	ITU-R Study Groups and Working Parties conduct sharing, compatibility and regulatory studies for each WRC-27 agenda item.
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National Preparations	2024–2027	Administrations review study results, consult national stakeholders and develop preliminary national views.
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Regional Preparatory Meetings	2024–2027	Regional groups compare national views, refine positions and identify possible areas for common regional approaches.
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CPM27-2 and CPM Report	5–15 April 2027	CPM27-2 consolidates technical, operational and regulatory study results into the CPM Report for use by administrations at WRC-27.
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Regional Common Proposals	Mid–late 2027	Regional organizations finalize common proposals and align positions before the conference.
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RA-27	11–15 October 2027	The Radiocommunication Assembly meets immediately before WRC-27 to address ITU-R work and study structures.
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WRC-27 Negotiations	18 October–12 November 2027	Administrations meet in Shanghai to negotiate agenda items and revise the Radio Regulations where agreement is reached.
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Final Acts and Revised Radio Regulations	November 2027 onward	The conference outcomes are recorded in the Final Acts and reflected in updates to the international Radio Regulations.
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Implementation and the Road to WRC-31	2028 onward	Administrations implement WRC-27 outcomes nationally while the next cycle begins for WRC-31.

Source

[1] International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Final Acts of the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 20 November–15 December 2023.

[2] ITU Radiocommunication Bureau, Administrative Circular CA/270 – Results of the First Session of the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM27-1), 26 January 2024.

[3] ITU Council, Resolution 1422 – World Radiocommunication Conference 2027 (WRC-27).

[4] ITU-R, WRC Preparatory Process and Cycle, World Radiocommunication Seminar (WRS), Geneva, 2024.