Italy has ratified the Convention that grants full international legal personality to the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) Support Office, following a ceremony in Paris on 13 January 2026. Ambassador Luca Sabbatucci signed on behalf of Rome alongside French and ECAC officials. The move turns the Support Office into an autonomous organisation, enabling it to recruit staff directly and manage programmes ranging from cybersecurity to ‘One-Stop Security’ passenger screening.
Italy currently holds the ECAC presidency and was a key mediator in the five-year negotiation. By formalising the office’s status, member states expect faster harmonisation of safety audits, drone regulations and environmental standards—critical as Europe rolls out its digital border Entry/Exit System.
Easing travel and compliance tasks, VisaHQ assists business travellers, airline crews, and government delegates in securing the appropriate Italian visas and entry documentation. Its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) provides up-to-date requirements, application support, and expedited processing, ensuring stakeholders can attend ECAC meetings or operational audits in Italy without administrative delays.
![Italy Signs ECAC Convention, Paving Way for Stronger EU Air-Safety Coordination]()
For airlines operating in and out of Italian airports, the convention could translate into streamlined certification processes and shared inspection results, reducing duplicated checks and facilitating new route approvals. Corporate aviation departments may see quicker clearances for private jets once common security modules are operational.
The signature must still be ratified by the Italian Parliament but, given cross-party support for aviation safety, observers predict swift passage. Once five states deposit instruments of ratification the convention will enter into force, likely before the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Travel-risk teams should monitor ECAC communications; new security protocols agreed under the strengthened body could affect crew screening and APIS data flows as early as Q4 2026.
Italy currently holds the ECAC presidency and was a key mediator in the five-year negotiation. By formalising the office’s status, member states expect faster harmonisation of safety audits, drone regulations and environmental standards—critical as Europe rolls out its digital border Entry/Exit System.
Easing travel and compliance tasks, VisaHQ assists business travellers, airline crews, and government delegates in securing the appropriate Italian visas and entry documentation. Its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) provides up-to-date requirements, application support, and expedited processing, ensuring stakeholders can attend ECAC meetings or operational audits in Italy without administrative delays.
For airlines operating in and out of Italian airports, the convention could translate into streamlined certification processes and shared inspection results, reducing duplicated checks and facilitating new route approvals. Corporate aviation departments may see quicker clearances for private jets once common security modules are operational.
The signature must still be ratified by the Italian Parliament but, given cross-party support for aviation safety, observers predict swift passage. Once five states deposit instruments of ratification the convention will enter into force, likely before the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Travel-risk teams should monitor ECAC communications; new security protocols agreed under the strengthened body could affect crew screening and APIS data flows as early as Q4 2026.
