The International Amateur Radio Union Region 2 (IARU R2) Executive Committee (EC) approved dues reductions and holidays for member-societies in Region 2 (the Americas). The action came as the R2 EC held its fifth and final virtual meeting of the year on November 18 to complete outstanding business from its three October sessions and to approve the 2021 operating budget.

“Recognizing that the pandemic created many hardships for member-societies and all amateurs in the Americas, the R2 EC approved a 1-year dues reduction for 2021,” the EC said. Member-societies with annual dues lower than $150 will get a dues holiday next year, while larger societies will get a 50% dues reduction. The R2 EC said it’s able to allow the discounts because 2021 expenses are expected to be lower, “primarily as travel restrictions have moved meeting attendance to being held virtually.”

The other major item of business was to review the Future Committee’s proposal to the IARU Administrative Council (AC). The committee was formed to study and propose how IARU should be structured “to become far more nimble and able to respond quickly to changes in the telecommunications ecosystem,” the EC said. Representing Region 2 at the Executive Committee session were Committee Chair Ramón Santoyo, XE1KK, and Secretary George Gorsline, VE3YV.

The meeting concluded with a brief discussion on how much had changed in 2020, while noting that the pandemic has also created new opportunities. For example, the traditional in-person 2022 General Assembly set to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, will now be a hybrid event, with both in-person and virtual participation, “removing the barrier of travel costs for smaller member-societies to fully participate,” the EC said. The very popular R2 workshops will be given a reboot in the new year, focusing more on the needs of member-societies as well as on emergency communication.