INTERNATIONAL EARTH ROTATION SERVICE (IERS) 
  	       SERVICE INTERNATIONAL DE LA ROTATION TERRESTRE


SERVICE DE LA ROTATION TERRESTRE
OBSERVATOIRE DE PARIS                                   
61, Av. de l'Observatoire 75014 PARIS (France)
Tel.      : 33 (0) 1 40 51 22 26
FAX       : 33 (0) 1 40 51 22 91
Internet  : iers@obspm.fr


                                               Paris, 8 July 2002
                                                           



                                               Bulletin C 24
                                

                                               To authorities responsible                   
                                               for the measurement and 
                                               distribution of time             
                                                                                        





                          INFORMATION ON UTC - TAI
                      



 NO positive leap second will be introduced at the end of December 2002.
 The difference between UTC and the International Atomic Time TAI is :		
		

     from 1999 January 1, 0h UTC, until further notice : UTC-TAI = -32 s


 Leap seconds can be introduced in UTC at the end of the months of December 
 or June,  depending on the evolution of UT1-TAI. Bulletin C is mailed every  
 six months, either to announce a time step in UTC, or to confirm that there 
 will be no time step at the next possible date.




                                             Daniel GAMBIS
                                             Director			
                                             Earth Orientation Center of IERS