Starting after the ARRL Board meeting today (January 20, 2018) a new DXCC criterion will be added to Section II for Political Entities (point 1). Currently there are three criteria for Political Entities. If any one of the following three criteria are met the entity qualifies as a Political Entity on the DXCC list:
1 United Nations Member State
2 Prefix is on ITU callsign prefix block
3 "The entity contains a permanent population, is administered by a local government, and is located at least 800 km from its parent. To satisfy the "permanent population" and "administered by a local government" criteria of this sub-section, an Entity must be listed on either (a) the U.S. Department of State's list of "Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty" (https://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/10543.htm) as having a local "AdministrativeCenter," or (b) the United Nations list of "Non-Self-Governing Territories. (http://www.un.org/en/decolonization/nonselfgovterritories.shtml)"
The new criterion, which goes into effect after the BOD meeting, will be if the potential entity is a member society of the IARU (http://www.iaru.org/member-societies.html) and is listed on the United States Department of State Independent States of the World list (https://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/4250.htm). The Entity must be on both lists in order to qualify as a Political Entity. QRX for the exact timing that the new rule will go into effect.
Information from Bernie, W3UR The Daily DX.
1 United Nations Member State
2 Prefix is on ITU callsign prefix block
3 "The entity contains a permanent population, is administered by a local government, and is located at least 800 km from its parent. To satisfy the "permanent population" and "administered by a local government" criteria of this sub-section, an Entity must be listed on either (a) the U.S. Department of State's list of "Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty" (https://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/10543.htm) as having a local "AdministrativeCenter," or (b) the United Nations list of "Non-Self-Governing Territories. (http://www.un.org/en/decolonization/nonselfgovterritories.shtml)"
The new criterion, which goes into effect after the BOD meeting, will be if the potential entity is a member society of the IARU (http://www.iaru.org/member-societies.html) and is listed on the United States Department of State Independent States of the World list (https://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/4250.htm). The Entity must be on both lists in order to qualify as a Political Entity. QRX for the exact timing that the new rule will go into effect.
Information from Bernie, W3UR The Daily DX.