The Directorate places particular emphasis on fostering and strengthening regional cooperation to achieve a high degree of uniformity and harmonization in aviation safety, aviation security, joint inspections and training, search and rescue exercises, and coordinated representation in international aviation organizations. As a result, a Memorandum of Understanding on mutual cooperation in civil aviation was signed on 16 January 2023 between the Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia, the Directorate of Civil Aviation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Civil Aviation Agency of Montenegro, the Civil Aviation Agency of the Republic of North Macedonia, the General Directorate of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Turkey, and the Civil Aviation Authorities of the Republic of Albania.
The Directorate maintains cooperation with the relevant civil aviation authorities of other states, as well as with air carriers and other aviation stakeholders.
The conclusion and implementation of bilateral air services agreements constitute the primary form of bilateral cooperation in civil aviation for the Republic of Serbia. These agreements establish the legal basis for operating air services with countries that are not parties to the ECAA Agreement.
Regional Aeronautical Search and Rescue Advisory Committee (RASARAC)
The Memorandum of Understanding establishing the Regional Aeronautical Search and Rescue Advisory Committee was signed on 3 November 2016 by the Republic of Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, and Slovakia as members, with Croatia, Hungary, and Slovakia participating as observers. This founding document is grounded in international treaties related to search and rescue, including the 1944 Chicago Convention and the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual (IAMSAR). The initiative to establish the committee originated from the Serbian Civil Aviation Directorate, which also chaired the committee during its inaugural year.
The committee’s primary objective is to provide mutual support among signatory countries by facilitating cooperation agreements, developing and enhancing capacities for the effective organization of national civil aviation search and rescue systems, supporting the implementation of ICAO standards in this domain, exchanging experiences through joint analyses and planning, and promoting communication via information sharing at both managerial and technical levels. The committee does not hold the status of an international organization; its decisions are considered recommendations and are therefore non-binding.
Any state, or its designated authority responsible for civil aviation search and rescue, may join the Memorandum with the consent of all existing members, acquiring either member or observer status. International organizations that do not meet the criteria for membership may be granted observer status upon unanimous approval by the members.
Currently, the Regional Advisory Committee for Search and Rescue in Civil Aviation comprises 12 participating countries as members: Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Albania. Hungary, Romania, and the Czech Republic participate as observers, alongside the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) and ICAO.
Agreement on Cooperation and Coordination in Search and Rescue - RASARAC
The agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the governments of Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia on cooperation and coordination in aviation search and rescue was signed in Ohrid on February 22, 2023. The initiative came from Serbian representatives in RASARAC, founded in 2016 in Belgrade.
This agreement provides a general framework for cooperation and coordination among aviation search and rescue bodies. Specific procedures for deploying rescue units in another state’s territory are defined through bilateral operational agreements. By ratifying this agreement, Serbia is committed to following ICAO standards, particularly those requiring coordination and cooperation between national search and rescue authorities, especially when operations extend across national borders.