International seminar on the future of ICAO

Background ICAO
ICAO is the UN specialized agency concerned with international air transport. Almost all 190 states in the world are part of it. In November 1944, an International Civil Aviation Conference was held in Chicago (also known as the Chicago Conference), a US initiative. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) should secure international cooperation and achieve the highest possible degree of uniformity in regulations, standards, procedures and recommended practices regarding civil aviation matters.

Objectives ICAO
The objectives of ICAO are the enhancement of international civil aviation safety and security, minimization of the adverse effect of global civil aviation on the environment, enhancement of the efficiency of aviation operations, maintaining the continuity of aviation operations and the strengthening of law governing international civil aviation.

Lengthy decision-making process
Over the last few years there are some voices among the Contracting States about the decision-making process in and auditing process by ICAO.

With respect to the decision-making process, some states are dissatisfied with this process. It has been suggested that the policy-making, decision-making and implementation processes are too slow and too bureaucratic.

Airneth seminar
Against this background, Airneth organizes a private seminar on the role of ICAO in the worldwide air transport regime on 24 October 2007 in The Hague (Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague).

The objective of this seminar is to discuss the effectiveness and efficiency of ICAO as an international body in the international air transport regime and to indicate paths for future change with respect to the role of ICAO within this regime.

Central questions

1. What does the future of ICAO look like?
2. What are the different views on the current role of ICAO in the international air transport regime as well as the decision-making process in ICAO?
3. What can we learn from international relations theories about the role of and decision making process in important international bodies such as ICAO in worldwide transportation regimes?
4. What are the alternatives for the role of ICAO in the international air transport regime as well as the decision making process within ICAO as we know it now?
5. What is the role of the European Union in ICAO and how should this be developed in the future?
6. What should be the role of the Netherlands in ICAO?

Speakers
The chairman of the seminar will be Prof. Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (former Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs).

The key note speech will be held by Olivier Onidi, Head Unit of Internal Market, Aviation Agreements and Multilateral Relations of the Directorate-General for Energy and Transport of the European Commission.

Among the others speakers are: Michael Milde (McGill University), William R. Voss (President and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation), Alan Michael Rossell (Permanent Representative ICAO Council for the United Kingdom) and Jacqueline Tammenoms Bakker (Director-General of Freight Transport and Civil Aviation, Dutch Ministry of Transport).

Target audience
This private seminar will be held for (inter)national policymakers in the field of international aviation and decision making, researchers and representatives of states participating in ICAO. Participation by personal invitation only!

Registration
We will send out invitations in September (by personal invitation only). Due to the closed character and maximum number of 90 participants of this seminar, Airneth holds the right to select participants on the basis of their motivation and indication of their professional relation with this subject.