Convention on International Civil Aviation

Lore & Background

The Chicago Convention was signed on December 7, 1944, in Chicago by 52 signatory states. It received the requisite 26th ratification on March 5, 1947, and went into effect on April 4, 1947, the same date that ICAO came into being. In October of the same year, ICAO became a specialized agency of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The convention has since been revised eight times, in 1959, 1963, 1969, 1975, 1980, 1997, 2000, and 2006.

The convention had 193 state parties, which includes all member states of the UN except Liechtenstein. The Cook Islands is a party to the Convention although it is not a member of the UN. The convention has been extended to cover Liechtenstein by the ratification of Switzerland. Key articles include Article 1, which grants every state complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory, and Article 3 bis, which requires states to refrain from using weapons against civil aircraft in flight. Article 24 stipulates that kerosene already on board an aircraft flying between contracting states may not be taxed by the state where the aircraft lands or through whose airspace it flies, though no tax regulation exists for refueling before departure.

Reader's Guide

The Chicago Convention is the cornerstone of international civil aviation, providing the legal framework under which nearly all global air travel operates. Its significance lies in establishing ICAO as the UN specialized agency that coordinates international air travel and sets standards and recommended practices (SARPs) through 19 annexes. These annexes cover personnel licensing, rules of the air, airworthiness, environmental protection, security, and safety management, among other areas. The convention's principles, such as state sovereignty over airspace and the recognition of certificates and licenses among contracting states, enable seamless international flights. Its legacy includes the prohibition of taxation on fuel already on board during international flights, though this does not extend to domestic flights or refueling before departure. The convention's provisions on scheduled air services require special permission for operations over or into a state's territory, while non-scheduled services have broader rights. The convention's annexes are regularly amended by ICAO to address evolving aviation challenges, including unmanned free balloons and environmental measures like CORSIA.

Did You Know?

• The Chicago Convention was signed by 52 states on December 7, 1944, and entered into force on April 4, 1947.
• The convention has 193 state parties, including all UN member states except Liechtenstein, which is covered by Switzerland's ratification.
• Article 24 exempts kerosene already on board an aircraft from taxation when flying between contracting states, but does not regulate taxes on refueling before departure.