On January 1, 2025, Iceland officially joined Eurocontrol, becoming the 42nd member of the European organization for the safety of air navigation. This marks the first time a new member country has joined Eurocontrol in over a decade. The move deepens the already long-standing cooperation between Iceland and the organization and highlights the country's strategic importance for aviation.
Iceland has been an operational partner of Eurocontrol since 1998 and has cooperated closely, particularly in the areas of data exchange, traffic management and airspace research. A prominent example of this cooperation was the management of the effects of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption in 2010, which significantly affected European air traffic. Iceland's geographical location as a crossroads between Europe and North America underlines its central role in international aviation.
By joining, Iceland will be more deeply integrated into the European aviation network. Cooperation with Eurocontrol is intended to further strengthen the resilience and efficiency of the aviation infrastructure. This includes in particular measures to improve air traffic control and air traffic management.
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