ICAO Doc 9735
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| ICAO Doc 9735 | |
|---|---|
| Name | ICAO Doc 9735 |
| Subject | International Civil Aviation Organization guidance |
ICAO Doc 9735 presents standardized guidance issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization to harmonize aviation security and facilitation measures across member States. It connects procedural frameworks from treaty bodies and regional authorities to operational practice at Heathrow Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Dubai International Airport, Tokyo Haneda Airport and Frankfurt Airport by integrating recommendations referenced in instruments such as the Chicago Convention, Annex 17 and Annex 9. The document is cited in regulatory deliberations by European Union Aviation Safety Agency, Federal Aviation Administration, Civil Aviation Administration of China and national agencies including the Transport Canada Civil Aviation branch.
Overview
Doc 9735 synthesizes guidance across domains addressed by the International Civil Aviation Organization and informs stakeholders including the International Air Transport Association, Airlines for America, Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, African Civil Aviation Commission and airport operators like Singapore Changi Airport. It aligns with international instruments such as the Convention on International Civil Aviation and operationalizes standards referenced by the United Nations Security Council resolutions on aviation threats, while being used by inspection regimes in jurisdictions overseen by bodies like the European Commission and the United States Department of Transportation.
History and Development
Development of the document involved technical panels comprising specialists from ICAO Council, regional offices including the ICAO Asia and Pacific Office, and expert groups drawn from Boeing, Airbus, IATA, ICAO Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau and the World Health Organization for biosecurity inputs. Iterative drafts were reviewed alongside events such as the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the Lockerbie bombing, and the MH17 shootdown to enhance provisions on threat assessment, risk management and contingency planning. Consultations included delegations from United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Aviation Administration, Civil Aviation Administration of China and representatives from International Maritime Organization for intermodal coordination.
Purpose and Scope
The primary objective is to provide guidance for harmonized aviation security measures, facilitation of passenger and cargo movements, and interoperability between national measures employed by United States Transportation Security Administration, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Australian Department of Home Affairs and EU member state authorities. The scope encompasses airport security, in-flight measures, cargo screening, air carrier responsibilities, and border control integration with agencies such as INTERPOL, Europol, World Customs Organization and national customs services. The document informs risk assessment frameworks used by operators like Emirates, Lufthansa, Qantas, ANA (All Nippon Airways) and Delta Air Lines.
Key Components and Structure
Structured into thematic modules, the guidance addresses governance frameworks, threat detection, passenger and baggage screening, cargo security, staff vetting, and crisis response. Annex references include Annex 17 to the Chicago Convention and links to facilitation measures in Annex 9 to the Chicago Convention, while operational checklists reference practices used at hubs such as Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Barcelona–El Prat Airport. It prescribes coordination mechanisms between national aviation authorities, airport operators, air carriers, and law enforcement entities including Metropolitan Police Service, French Directorate General for Civil Aviation, and German Federal Police.
Implementation and Adoption
States implement guidance through civil aviation authorities including Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom), Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (Mexico), and Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (Brazil), often aligning domestic regulations with the Chicago Convention and regional frameworks enforced by the European Union and the African Union. Adoption is supported by capacity-building efforts from ICAO Regional Training Centre, cooperative arrangements with IATA Security Program, and technical assistance from manufacturers such as Bombardier and Rolls-Royce. Multilateral audit programs like the ICAO Universal Security Audit Programme use the guidance as a benchmark in evaluations alongside programs run by World Bank and Asian Development Bank for infrastructure upgrades.
Impact on Aviation Safety and Security
The guidance has influenced screening technologies deployed by vendors such as Smiths Detection, Rapiscan Systems, and Thales Group and underpins protocols that reduced certain categories of interdicted threats at major hubs including Los Angeles International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport. It supports interoperability that facilitated cooperative exercises involving North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners, ASEAN member states, and national crisis response units, and has been referenced in post-incident inquiries by tribunals and commissions such as inquiries following the Lockerbie bombing and investigations involving Air India Flight 182.
Criticisms and Revisions
Critiques have cited challenges in harmonizing standards across diverse legal systems represented by member States such as United States, China, Russia, and India, and noted resource constraints at smaller airports like those in Pacific Islands Forum states and Caribbean Community members. Privacy advocates and civil liberties organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have raised concerns about passenger data sharing and biometrics guidance, prompting revisions informed by stakeholder consultations with entities like International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group and technical reviews by ICAO Legal Affairs and External Relations Bureau. Subsequent amendments have been incorporated following workshops with regulatory authorities, industry groups and academic institutions including Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cranfield University.