On 1 January 2014, Georgia becomes EUROCONTROL’s 40th Member State.

Georgia joined ICAO in 1994 and ECAC in 2005. Its Air Navigation Service Provider (SAKAERONAVIGATSIA) has been a full member of CANSO since 2006 and the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency (GCAA) was created in April 2011.

Georgia submitted its application for membership to EUROCONTROL on 3 April 2009; it was approved by the Permanent Commission on 13 August 2012.

Tbilisi, the capital and the largest city of Georgia, is home to Tbilisi International Airport where there were on average 30 flights per day in 2013. From this airport, the top two destinations in 2013 were Turkey and Ukraine.

In 2013, Georgia handled approximately 110,000 flights, representing roughly 300 flights per day.

Air traffic in Georgia is forecast to grow at a remarkable annual rate of almost 6% over the next seven years, compared with the 1.8% average annual traffic growth rate expected for European air traffic over the same period.

“Georgia, we are delighted to welcome you into the fold of EUROCONTROL,” Frank Brenner, Director General of EUROCONTROL, declared. “We know that you will be able to play a decisive role in many sectors. You will be well placed to help implement the pan-European Sky. We know that you will help us raise the levels of aviation safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness in our continent, while limiting the impact on the environment.”

Eurocontrol press release