UK to bring aviation experts together for third legal summit

At a glance 

• UK hosts major legal summit to discuss aviation safety, security and facilitation issues.
• UK Civil Aviation Authority plays host for the third Civil Aviation Legal Advisers Forum on behalf of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
• Chief executives, director generals, legal experts and officials responsible for civil aviation regulation will head to London to discuss and shape the future of international aviation.

As the world pursues innovation and sustainability for air transport, the UK will host a major legal summit to address critical and emerging aviation safety, security and facilitation issues.

To be held across 26 to 28 November, the Civil Aviation Legal Advisers Forum (CALAF/3) is hosted this year by the UK Civil Aviation Authority on behalf of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Chief executives, director generals, legal experts, and officials responsible for civil aviation regulation will head to London, with the event held at the Royal Aeronautical Society.

The legal forum will feature discussions on legal and regulatory best practices shaping the future of international aviation, with input from the industry, academia, and legal practitioners. 

ICAO’s Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar, the Department for Transport’s Director General for Aviation and the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s Chief Executive Rob Bishton will open proceedings, with the regulator’s Chair Sir Stephen Hillier welcoming delegates at a reception on Monday 25 November.

The event coincides with ICAO celebrating its 80th Anniversary of the signing of the Chicago Convention. This fundamental development in international law has served as the foundation for the development of the world’s aviation system. CALAF/3 will mark the occasion with a commemorative panel discussion.

Separate panel discussions will consider sustainability and innovation (including artificial intelligence), enforcing air navigation regulations, cooperative mechanisms for aviation safety and the use of safety information in judicial proceedings.

Rob Bishton, Chief Executive of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: 

“As we gather for the Civil Aviation Legal Advisers Forum, I am reminded of the pivotal role that legal advisors play in the aviation sector. Their expertise means that our regulations are robust, and our industry is compliant with international standards. 

“This year, we also celebrate the 80th anniversary of the International Civil Aviation Organization signing the Chicago Convention. For more than eight decades, ICAO has been at the forefront of fostering global aviation safety, security, and sustainability. Its unwavering commitment has been instrumental in shaping the aviation landscape we know today. 

“Looking to the future, the continued partnership between regulators, industry and ICAO will be crucial in navigating the challenges and opportunities ahead."

Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General at ICAO, said: 

"The Civil Aviation Legal Advisers Forum has emerged as a leading international event for informing the legal regulatory frameworks that will guide aviation's transformation worldwide. I am confident that the discussions in London will address critical questions around artificial intelligence, sustainability and enforcement – legal work that is fundamental to enabling innovation while maintaining aviation's exemplary safety standards.

“ICAO is grateful to the UK Civil Aviation Authority for its leadership in hosting this significant event and bringing together such expertise from across the global aviation community. That these discussions coincide with the 80th anniversary of the Chicago Convention reminds us how international aviation law has consistently evolved to meet new challenges while remaining anchored by its founding principles."