July 20, 2020

On 29 April 2020, the Commission released the response to the consultation proposing the removal of condition 2.1.1, which requires licensees to apply for a variation of their licence when adding or relocating key equipment to a different jurisdiction. It also proposed that it would no longer require licensees, under notification requirement 15.2.1.7, to tell the Commission when they add or relocate key equipment within the same jurisdiction.

These two changes will take effect from 29 July 2020. From this date, the Commission will no longer require remote operators to:

1. make an application to vary the licence prior to adding or relocating any remote key equipment from the jurisdiction stated in Schedule R of the licence; or
2. submit a key event if they move remote key equipment within a jurisdiction.

To prepare for these changes, the Commission will be changing eServices to remove the sections relating to remote key equipment. Similar changes will be made to the Operating Licence (OL) variation form available to download from the Commission’s website.

The Commission reminds licensees that any applications submitted up to and including 28 July 2020 will be processed as normal. If the licensee then chooses to withdraw the OL variation application, the Commission says that there will be no entitlement to a refund.

The Commission advises licensees to destroy any old downloaded copies of the OL variation form as these will no longer be accurate. To read the Commission’s news release in full, click here.