CANSO at the 42nd ICAO Assembly: A strong voice for the Air Traffic Management Community
At the 42nd ICAO Assembly, on 23 September to 3 October  the CANSO team joined a record-breaking 192 ICAO Member States, with nearly 3,000 delegates, to participate in two weeks of discussions and decision-making, actively contributing to the shaping of the global aviation agenda.
Represented by our President and CEO, Regional Directors and the CANSO Programmes team, CANSO engaged constructively across multiple sessions and side events, ensuring that the voice of the air traffic management (ATM) industry was heard and reflected in ICAO’s deliberations and decisions.
The Assembly, held every three years, provides an important focal point for discussion on the opportunities and challenges facing civil aviation in the years ahead.
Positive reception of CANSO’s contributions
CANSO presented four working papers and two information papers during the Assembly, and co-signed an additional six working papers in collaboration with industry partners and international organisations. These submissions addressed a wide range of operational and strategic priorities for the ATM community.
All submissions were well received by ICAO Member States, and recognised CANSO’s technical expertise and its constructive, forward-looking approach to advancing global air navigation safety, performance, and sustainability.
Presented by CANSO:
- Paper 108: Mitigating GNSS Vulnerabilities in Aviation: Strengthening Resilience and Operational Continuity
- Paper 270: System Wide Information Management Implementation Challenges
- Paper 296: Progressive Air Traffic Controllers (ATCO) Licensing
- Paper 341: Air Traffic Management: A Global Strategic Imperative for Future Aviation
- Paper 522: The Complete Air Traffic System (CATS) CONOPS for Future Skies: A Strategic Industry Plan for Global ATM Transformation
- Paper 529: Modernising Flight Rules for the Future of Aviation: An Evolutionary Imperative
Co-signed by CANSO:
- Paper 120: Conflict Zones: Work Progress and Next Steps
- Paper 259: Positive Safety Culture
- Paper 308: Aviation’s Contribution Towards the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- Paper 313: Addressing Performance and Reliability Issues for Communication Service Providers (CSPs) and Satellite Service Providers (SSPs)
- Paper 329: Spectrum Resilience: Balancing Spectrum Efficiency with Aviation Safety
- Paper: 492 Ensuring That the Aviation Industry Works Together to Contribute to Sustainable Growth for the Benefit of All People – “Aviation4All”
Impactful interventions and strategic engagement
Throughout Assembly sessions, CANSO staff made targeted interventions during key agenda items, emphasising the need for collaboration and innovation in the evolution of air navigation services.
Our interventions resonated strongly with both States and industry peers. They underscored the importance of maintaining momentum on aviation digitalisation, cybersecurity preparedness, and performance-based regulation, while highlighting the operational realities, and achievements, of the ATM community worldwide.
A milestone achievement: The CATS CONOPS
One of the most significant accomplishments of this Assembly was the recognition and positive reception of the CANSO Global Council’s “Complete Air Traffic Services Concept of Operations” (CATS CONOPS) as a key contributor to the evolution of the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP).
The CATS CONOPS represents a transformative vision for the future of ATM, providing a globally harmonised framework for the integration of emerging technologies, new entrants, and enhanced service delivery models. By defining a clear, performance-based and service-oriented approach to air traffic management, it supports the modernisation goals outlined in the GANP and promotes greater global interoperability.
Its endorsement at the Assembly marks an important milestone in CANSO’s mission to drive operational excellence and collaboration. The strong support received from States and international organisations demonstrates widespread confidence in CANSO’s technical leadership and its ability to provide practical, forward-looking solutions for the aviation system.
Looking ahead
The success of CANSO’s participation at the 42nd ICAO Assembly is a testament to the commitment, expertise, and unity of our global team. Through close coordination across our regions and programmes, and in partnership with ICAO and other international bodies, we will continue to strengthen the role of the ATM community in shaping the future of aviation.
CANSO extends its sincere thanks to all Members, partners, and delegates who contributed to these achievements. Thank you to all workgroup members who contributed to paper reviews and provided their input to the development of common positions. Together, we are building a safer, more efficient, and more sustainable future for global air navigation services.
A special thanks goes to the CANSO ICAO Affairs Workgroup for its invaluable contribution and guidance throughout the preparation for the Assembly. The dedication and expertise of its members were instrumental in ensuring CANSO’s strong representation and success at this global event.
For more information on any of the outcomes of the Assembly or the work of the IAWG contact icao@canso.org
