The Safer Skies Consultative Committee was created in 2020 as an international group to help limit the risks that conflict zones pose to civil aviation. The committee:
- supports the work of states, airlines and international organizations on matters related to limiting the risks that conflict zones pose to civil aviation
- promotes best practices and risk assessment strategies to regulators, air navigation service providers and operators
- shares information on the threats conflict zones pose to civil aviation and how to reduce their impact
- promotes guidance documents, including International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and recommended practices
On this page
The structure
Members
The committee has 18 members, including 1 vacant seat (Latin America). Members represent countries and the aviation industry. Current members are:
- Australia
- Canada (Chair)
- the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO)
- the Expert Group on Risk Information Overflying Conflict Zones (EGRICZ)
- France
- Germany
- the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
- the International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Associations
- the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Morocco
- the Netherlands (Co-Chair)
- New Zealand
- the Republic of Korea
- the United Kingdom, and
- the United States
Observers
We’re an inclusive group and value input from other states, civil aviation authorities and stakeholders that can actively and constructively contribute to the SSCC vision and mission. There’s no limit to the number of observers. Current observers include:
- the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
- Spain
- the Taiwan Civil Aeronautics Administration
- Ukraine
Please email SSCC.Secretariat-CCSA.Secretariat@tc.gc.ca if you want to become a member or observer.
We’re currently looking for a member to represent Latin America.
Our work
We’re currently:
- helping to draft the Third Edition of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Risk Assessment Manual for Civil Aircraft Operations Over or Near Conflict Zones (Doc 10084)
- developing a guidance document that includes baseline criteria for risk assessments
Past work
In the past we:
- created an inventory of existing strategies to manage the risks of conflict zones
- identified and evaluated information-sharing forums for sharing overflight threats and vulnerabilities in civil aviation
- shared guiding principles for states to help them decide whether to close airspace, and when to reopen
- co-authored a working paper on conflict zones that was endorsed by the ICAO Assembly in 2022
The Safer Skies Forum
The Safer Skies Forum is the only event exclusively focused on improving how we manage the risks of conflict zones. It brings states, international organizations and industry partners together for a common goal: setting principles and practices to better protect passengers from the risk of flying over or near conflict zones.
The first 2 forums focused on key concepts in managing conflict zone risks.
The third forum is being co-hosted by Canada and the Netherlands, in The Hague, in June 2023.
The event will include technical sessions which will give participants a chance to share their views and discuss ways forward. The target audience and panelists are working level, technical, subject-matter experts.
Contact us:
To reach out the Safer Skies Consultative Committee, please email: SSCC.Secretariat-CCSA.Secretariat@tc.gc.ca.