Paris (France), 6 - 7 September 2006 - Mr Siarhei Piakarski, the Rapporteur of the EANPG COG Air Traffic Management Training Task Force (ATM TRG TF), moderated an ICAO European Region Workshop on Language Proficiency Requirement Implementation in the ICAO European and North Atlantic Regional Office, Paris.

The Workshop was primarily targeting the national civil aviation authorities responsible for the implementation of the ICAO provisions on language proficiency, which will become applicable on 5 March 2008, and had been arranged in follow-up to EANPG Conclusion 47/43.

(see full-size photo)

The Workshop was attended by 79 participants from 32 Contracting States and 6 international organisations.

When welcoming the participants to the Workshop, the ICAO Regional Director addressed current rumours that the applicability date of 5 March 2008 for the language proficiency requirements was likely to be postponed, and he informed the Workshop about the following actions and conclusions of the Air Navigation Commission during the Tenth Meeting of its 172nd Session:

"The Air Navigation Commission:

agreed to retain the applicability date of 5 March 2008 for the demonstration of language proficiency in accordance with the requirements contained in Appendix 1 to Annex 1; and

agreed that the States be informed of the Commission’s decision and reminded of the need to take the necessary measures to implement the language proficiency requirements in a timely manner."

On this basis, the Regional Director emphasised the importance of the Workshop, and encouraged participants to have an open and free exchange of points of view with respect to the common challenges currently faced by the national civil aviation authorities in the implementation of the language proficiency requirements.

The programme for the Workshop contained the following items:

• Language proficiency requirement in the European Region – the Action Plan, the latest developments and future activities
• English language training – challenges and experiences gained
• English language training – to get to and maintain at least Level 4
• Language proficiency evaluation – testing
• Language proficiency evaluation – raters/examiners
• Cooperation between States on language proficiency issues
• One environment – one language – why not think now