The Gibraltar Parliament approved the Civil Aviation Act 2024 on 25 March. The Act seeks to establish a comprehensive and updated aviation regulatory framework in the British Overseas Territory, to include the formation of a new aircraft registry. A Civil Aviation Authority Act was also passed to provide a framework for a competent authority to have overall responsibility for the registry.

The legislation has been five years in the making. The Gibraltar government first issued a request for expressions of interest “from individuals and organisations interested in developing and operating a Gibraltar Aircraft Register” in April 2019. In 2022, the government entered into an agreement with “an experienced aviation industry operator to develop, operate, market and manage the Gibraltar air registry”.

Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Garcia told Parliament that the establishment of an aircraft register would not only provide opportunities for new business development and employment but would also provide a “platform for an aggressive marketing campaign throughout the aviation world”.

He said aircraft registries currently existed in small states like Aruba, San Marino and the Cayman Islands. “Crown dependencies, too, like Guernsey have proved that their aircraft registries have the potential to generate economic activity and economic growth,” he added.

RANA looks forward to the development of the new registry.