In practical application of the ICAO concept of Regions and regional
Offices, in August 1946, PICAO established a temporary regional body in
Paris which was located in the accommodation occupied by ICAN since 1922
(60 bis Avenue d'léna). With the official creation of ICAO in April
1947 this temporary regional body then became the European Office of
ICAO and was made responsible for looking after air navigation matters
in the European-Mediterranean (EUR) and North Atlantic (NAT) regions in
accordance with directives from the Secretary General of ICAO and under
the supervision of the Director of the Air Navigation Bureau.
The relationship between States and the ICAO Secretariat was organised
so that, with regard to world-wide matters, States would correspond
directly with ICAO Headquarters, which remained in Montreal, Canada. As
to regional matters, normally only one Regional Office was accredited to
one State and all correspondence on such matters by States was to be
routed through that Office, even if it concerned other Regions than the
ones for which the Office concerned was responsible. As to the States of
a given region, these were classified either as "provider" or "user"
States. Provider States were those which, while also using the air
navigation facilities and services within a given Region were, in
addition, physically located in that Region and had therefore to provide
specific facilities and services, forming part of its air navigation
system.
The European Office of ICAO
Avenue d'Iéna in Paris (1946-1965)
User States were those
located outside the Region but whose national airlines or individuals
conducted international operations within the Region concerned and who
had therefore legitimate user interests in the Region. The relevant list
of States was established by the Council of ICAO, based on requests
from States concerned. It is, however, to be noted that, in taking
decisions regarding regional matters, no difference was made between
these two types of States.
To ensure that, in developing the air navigation system world-wide or on
a regional basis, full account was taken of all available expertise,
the Council of ICAO also decided that international organizations
representing legitimate air navigation interests should be included in
the consultative processes regarding that system and that due account
should be taken of their representations.
As to the composition of the personnel forming the staff of a Regional
Office, this should consist of nationals of as many States as possible,
apart from possessing the required technical and other qualifications
for the post concerned. In performing its functions, it was however
expected that the personnel would, in no case, be influenced by national
considerations but would only act in the interest of ICAO and thus of
that of international air navigation.
