Iceland has become the first new member of Eurocontrol in a decade, joining the air navigation organisation on 1 January, exactly 10 years since Estonia in 2015.
The accession brings to 42 the total number of Eurocontrol member states.
Iceland has been participating as an observer in the organisation’s provisional council for more than 25 years.
Co-operation with Iceland became particularly critical during the 2010 volcanic eruption which badly disrupted European air traffic.
Eurocontrol director general Raul Medina says the accession process for Iceland commenced in August 2020 and has involved a “huge amount of work”.
“It is excellent news for the agency and for the European aviation network as a whole,” he adds.
Joining Eurocontrol is a “logical step”, says Icelandic Transport Authority director general Jon Gunnar Jonsson.
He says aviation and air navigation are “vitally important” for Iceland given that it is “geographically positioned at a crossroads between continents”.
Eurocontrol states that Iceland is already “well-integrated” with Europe, through membership of the European Economic Area as well as other pacts and trade agreements.
