The ICAO Template Air Services Agreements (TASAs) are comprehensive framework air services agreements for optional use by States. TASAs include provisions on traditional, transitional and most liberal approaches to the various elements in an air services agreement (both bilateral and regional/plurilateral).
The wording of TASAs is based on the model clauses or language developed by ICAO over the years on various air services agreement articles such as capacity, tariffs, competition laws, “doing business” and safety and aviation security provisions. The other source for the language in the provisions of TASAs is the practice and usage of States in their agreements; the text for most of the provisions, therefore, represents a distillation of the most common and current usage by States in this field.
The 2003 fifth Worldwide Air Transport Conference (
ATConf/5) gave widespread support for the concept and contents of TASAs, its optional use by States in their air services relationships and its further development over time by ICAO as “living documents”. This ability to choose different approaches for different provisions in TASAs would allow States to shape agreements which best fit their own pace and path for changes in market access and other aspects of liberalization. In addition, it could help them identify potential areas and formulae for liberalization by comparing their existing agreements with TASAs.
As ICAO guidance material, TASAs are available for purchase in CD-ROM form (CD-104), which includes a basic search engine to facilitate usage. TASAs will also be reproduced in hard-copy form in Policy and Guidance Material on the Economic Regulation of International Air Transport (
Doc 9587 , Fourth Edition).
Click here (pdf) to view the Table of Contents and Article 3 on Designation and Authorization of the publication. Information concerning the purchase of this CD-ROM may be obtained from the ICAO Store.
