The latest ECAC Forum of Directors General (FORUM/16) took place in Paris on December 17^th 2024, followed the next day by the 163nd meeting of Directors General of Civil Aviation of ECAC.  The HCAA Governor, Mr. Christos Tsitouras and the General Director of Economic Oversight and Administrative Support, Mrs. Kalliopi Lykou participated in both the events.

The ECAC FORUM/16 brought together over 70 representatives of ECAC Member States, EUROCONTROL, the European Commission, EASA, ICAO and Zero to exchange information and discuss strategies for managing the growing threats of disruption in the aviation sector in our current uncertain times.

Raúl Medina, Director General EUROCONTROL, set the scene for the Forum by sharing priorities for his organisation based on challenges such as air traffic restrictions and weather disruptions, the need for the aviation sector to reduce its emissions, and calls for increased operational efficiency to manage higher volumes of flights while meeting sustainability requirements.

The discussions highlighted the valuable experiences across Europe in dealing with diverse crises. Throughout the Forum, participants recognized that cooperation was crucial to address common challenges related to the impacts of current conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, economic instability, and climate change, including weather events of increasing severity.

The participants agreed there was serious threat to the efficiency and effectiveness of the aviation sector if skills and competencies could not be secured. With expectations of continued aviation growth worldwide and changing mentality about the attractiveness of the sector, they recognized the need for greater diversity within the aviation workforce. The Forum concluded with a reminder of the importance of learning from the past. While not all crises can be predicted, it was agreed that having established procedures, protocols and communication networks in place is essential for responding swiftly when crises arrive.

During the 163nd meeting of Directors General of Civil Aviation of ECAC discussions and valuable exchanges included: a review of ECAC’s 2024 activities across all domains, a look ahead to ECAC’s 2025 work programme and strategic priorities, and European priorities for the 2025 ICAO Assembly, based on proposals received from the European Coordination Groups.