COVID-19

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From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, ECAC was committed to supporting its Member States during this unprecedented crisis.

ECAC hosted European coordination meetings via videoconference from 17 March 2020, bringing together the Directors General of the 44 ECAC Member States, the European Commission, EASA and EUROCONTROL. The main objective of these meetings was to exchange on latest developments, explore relief measures for stakeholders and the industry at both national and European levels, and to look at challenges and solutions that needed to be urgently addressed for the benefit of the Member States and the aviation sector.

External relations

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The principal focus of ECAC’s activities are ECAC States themselves, yet Directors General recognise the importance of external relations, and the need for the organisation to build on its core strengths, particularly its ability to engage with regional bodies and establish partnerships.

Safety and accident investigations

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Originally, safety was one of the cornerstones of ECAC activities. The Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) were established by ECAC in 1990 in order to set uniform high safety standards within Europe and to unify the then multiple safety aviation certification procedures. After the establishment of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) that took over JAA functions, ECAC safety activities were reduced in order to prevent overlaps or duplication.

Security

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Aviation security is a core activity of the European Civil Aviation Conference. ECAC's work in this area focuses on ensuring security measures are in place to protect civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference.

Aviation security measures are described in ECAC Doc 30, Part II (Security), a policy statement adopted by all 44 ECAC Member States.

Facilitation

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Improving the passenger’s experience and facilitating legitimate trade are key objectives of ECAC’s activities in the field of facilitation. As the significance of facilitation and international aviation has developed since the COVID-19 pandemic, so has ECAC expanded its focus in this field.

Environment

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ECAC has established environment as one of its key priorities, conscious that the environmental impacts of the aviation sector must be mitigated if aviation is to continue to be successful as an important facilitator of sustainable development.

Economic matters

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ECAC activities in the economic field aim at promoting an economically efficient, sustainable and competitive European air transport sector.

Through the Economic Working Group established in 2016, ECAC supports the understanding on economic issues of common interest to the aviation community within ECAC. This includes transversal matters, such as economic aspects relating to societal and environmental changes (for example, workforce and environmental sustainability).

Legal matters

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legal activities support the work in other fields of civil aviation, such as safety, environment and security

Established in 1996, the Legal Task Force examines legal issues and develops proposals on various legal issues related to the role and various activities of ECAC.

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)

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Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are creating a new industry with large economic potential. Over the past years, the civil UAS sector has experienced significant and exponential growth, with a strong impact on traditional aviation systems and on shaping innovation in aviation.

It is within this context that ECAC Member States are being challenged with the safe, secure and efficient integration of UAS into environments shared by a highly regulated and well-established, manned aircraft industry.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

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More and more data are digital, and information technology evolves fast and continuously in all domains of activities of our societies. This has growing impacts on the aviation sector.

Communication for civil aviation

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In July 2021, the ECAC Network of Communication Specialists (NETCOM) was established with the objective to foster cooperation and enhance the effectiveness of ECAC Member States’ communication capabilities through the sharing of knowledge, experience and best practices in the field of communication for civil aviation.

Diversity, equity and inclusion

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The adoption of the ECAC Charter on Diversity and Inclusion by Directors General of Civil Aviation in ECAC Member States in May 2023 represents a milestone in the promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion in Europe. Under the leadership of the Focal Point for Diversity and Inclusion, activities have been organised by the newly established Network on Diversity and Inclusion in civil aviation and by the Secretariat.

EUROPEAN CIVIL AVIATION CONFERENCE - CONFÉRENCE EUROPÉENNE DE L'AVIATION CIVILE