On 4 December 2025, the Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia hosted the 165th meeting of Directors General of the Member States of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC). For the first time since the establishment of ECAC, this high-level gathering was held in Belgrade, bringing together 37 European countries and placing the Serbian capital at the very centre of European civil aviation.
The meeting was opened by the Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Aleksandra Sofronijević, who addressed the participants and underlined the importance of strengthening cooperation among European states and advancing joint activities within the field of civil aviation.
In the presence of delegations of the Member States, several countries signed, on the margins of the meeting, the Convention on the Bureau of the European Civil Aviation Conference – a document of essential importance through which the ECAC Bureau is, for the first time, established as an international legal entity, thereby significantly enhancing the functioning of the organisation.
On behalf of the Republic of Serbia, the Convention was signed by the Director of the Civil Aviation Directorate, Mirjana Čizmarov. Alongside Serbia, the document was also signed by Belgium, Portugal, San Marino and Greece, while the remaining ECAC Member States will accede to the Convention in accordance with their respective national procedures.
By establishing the Bureau, ECAC is, for the first time, provided with a clearly defined framework for its administrative and financial operations, enabling more effective management, recruitment of experts, conclusion of contracts and implementation of programmes of common interest – all without introducing additional financial obligations for Member States. This development represents a significant systemic reform, ensuring a more stable and functional structure for ECAC and further strengthening cooperation in the field of European civil aviation.
When considering the institutional structure, it is important to recognise the role and scope of ECAC itself. The organisation brings together 44 states and serves as a pan-European forum for harmonising policies and practices in civil aviation, with a focus on aviation safety, unmanned aircraft systems, security, facilitation, environmental protection, and the promotion of diversity and inclusion.
Since December 2021, the Republic of Serbia has had its representative in the ECAC Coordinating Committee – the body overseeing the organisation’s work. Having been elected for the first time in 2021, the Director of the Directorate Mirjana Čizmarov was confirmed in this role at the Plenary Session in July 2022, while her re-election at the conference held in July 2024 represented yet another confirmation of confidence in Serbia’s expertise and contribution to the development of European aviation policy.
Hosting such an important meeting in Belgrade stands as a recognition that Serbia and its Civil Aviation Directorate hold a credible and well-established role within the European aviation framework. The active engagement of our country in ECAC’s work demonstrates Serbia’s continued commitment to enhancing aviation safety, modernisation and sustainability.
