DCA - Gibraltar

International Civil Aviation Organisation

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) was established under the Chicago Convention in 1944. Through the participation of contracting states, ICAO develops Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) that cover all aspects of aviation, including safety. SARPs provide the foundation of all safety regulatory regimes at a global scale. The SARPs are laid down in the 18 Annexes to the Convention.

Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory and, through the United Kingdom’s ratification, is a party to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation ('the Convention') which is the international convention governing arrangements for civil aviation. By signing the Convention, a State agrees that adopted standards will be implemented in its own territories or, if this is impractical, any difference will be notified to ICAO for publication to the community at large. Gibraltar is not a contracting State to ICAO; however the United Kingdom is; it is by the United Kingdom’s ratification that Gibraltar is required to comply with the SARPs.

Purpose and functions of the Office of the Director of Civil Aviation

The Office of the Director of Civil Aviation was established by the Civil Aviation Act 2009 on 29th January 2009. The purpose of this act is identified as: “An act to make provision generally for the regulation of civil aviation (save for aviation security) in Gibraltar; to provide for the management and control of the commercial and civil use of the airport and of the air terminal and aircraft using its facilities; and for connected purposes.”

The Director of Civil Aviation reports to the Minister for Aviation for the discharge of his duties and functions under the act. He is responsible for ensuring that all civil aviation within Gibraltar airspace and at Gibraltar Airport operates safely and in compliance with:

• The Chicago Convention
• European Union obligations in respect to civil aviation
• other international agreements and obligations in respect to civil aviation, which apply to Gibraltar

And to issue:

• an approval to the Gibraltar air traffic control service provider
• licences to the Gibraltar Air Traffic Controllers
• validations of permits to fly
• dangerous goods approvals to aircraft operators wishing to carry dangerous goods in or out of Gibraltar by air