Latin-American Civil Aviation Commission (LACAC)

The objective of the Latin American Civil Aviation Commission (LACAC) is to provide the Latin American civil aviation authorities with an appropriate framework for cooperation and coordination of civil aviation related activities. The Commission seeks to promote integration mechanisms in regional air transport, which involve not only the harmonization of technical standards, but also the establishment of air liberalization agreements between Latin American states. This work contributes to increase air connectivity and commerce and people flow between the states. The LACAC has a consultative character, so its documents are not binding on the states. 

The history of LACAC

The Latin American Civil Aviation Commission was established at the Second Latin American Aeronautical Authorities Conference, held in December 1973 in Mexico City. On that occasion, 15 Latin American States signed the LACAC Statute, and currently 22 States from Latin America and the Caribbean are members of the Commission. In Brazil, the LACAC Statute was incorporated into the national legal system through Decree of Promulgation N. 77.076, of January 23, 1976.

LACAC’s structure is composed of the Assembly and the Executive Committee. The entity also has a permanent Secretariat with its headquarters in the city of Lima, Peru.

The LACAC Assembly is formed by representatives from all member states and meets at least once every two years. LACAC’s Conclusions, Recommendations or Resolutions are made by decisions of the Assembly, for which the agreement of a simple majority of the represented states is sufficient. The Assembly also approves the work program for the following biennium, including the budgetary planning, and reviews the activities carried out during the previous period.

At each ordinary meeting, the LACAC Assembly approves the composition of its Executive Committee (1 President and 4 Vice-Presidents), which must take into consideration criteria of geographical representation in region.

The Executive Committee, in turn, is the managing body of the LACAC, responsible for exercising the entity’s executive functions, in particular: managing, coordinating and directing the work program approved by the Assembly. In the exercise of its functions, the Executive Committee may form committees, working groups or groups of specialists.

The technical activities carried out by the representatives of the member states take place through these committees or working groups, which can be formed for the achievement of a specific objective or on a permanent basis, with a meeting schedule established by biennial cycles. Examples of the latter are as follows:

- Group of Experts on Political, Economic and Legal Issues of Air Transport (GEPEJTA);

- AVSEC/FAL Group – LACAC/ICAO; and

- Management Group (GRUGES).

According to the LACAC working model currently in force, the Assembly must list six macro-tasks, which are allocated among the Executive Committee members and another country that volunteers to act as focal point. In general, the choice of macro-tasks is defined by consensus among the States.

More information can be accessed on the Commission’s official website: http://www.clac-lacac.org/