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



BUREAU CENTRAL DE L'IERS
OBSERVATOIRE DE PARIS                                   Paris, 1 July 1996
61, Av. de l'Observatoire 75014 PARIS (France)
Tel. (33) 1-40 51 22 26      Telex : 270776 OBS
  Internet      : services@obspm.fr                     
  Span          : MESIOA::SERVICES
  FAX           : (33) 1 - 40 51 22 32
                                                        Bulletin C 12
                                

                                                        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 1996.
 The difference between UTC and the International Atomic Time TAI is :		
		
   from 1996 January 1, 0h UTC, until further notice : UTC-TAI = - 30 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 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.




                                     Martine FEISSEL	
                                     Director			
                                     Central Bureau of IERS