Kiri

Tel.: +1 514- 315-1872

Ref.: AN 2/2.9-25/27 17 April 2025

Subject: Adoption of Amendment 44 to Annex 15

Action required: a) Notify any disapproval before

4 August 2025; b) Notify any differences and

compliance before 27 October 2025; c) Consider the use

of the Electronic Filing of Differences (EFOD) System

for notification of differences and compliance

Sir/Madam,

1. I have the honour to inform you that Amendment 44 to the International Standards and

Recommended Practices, Aeronautical Information Services (Annex 15 to the Convention on International

Civil Aviation) was adopted by the Council at the fourteenth meeting of its 234th Session on 2 April 2025.

Copies of the Amendment and the Resolution of Adoption are available as attachments to the electronic

version of this State letter on the ICAO-NET (http://portal.icao.int) where you can access all other relevant

documentation.

2. When adopting the amendment, the Council prescribed 4 August 2025 as the date on which

it will become effective, except for any part concerning which a majority of Contracting States have

registered their disapproval before that date. In addition, the Council resolved that Amendment 44 to the

extent it becomes effective, will become applicable on 27 November 2025.

3. Amendment 44 is consequential and arises from recommendations from the fifth meeting

of the Meteorology Panel (METP/5) concerning the development of space weather information service.

The space weather -related NOTAM requirement is deleted to avoid confusion and the information in the

advisories, based on advice from States and industry, has been standardized.

4. The subject is given in the amendment to the Foreword of Annex 15, a copy of which is in

Attachment A.

5. In conformity with the Resolution of Adoption, may I request:

a) that before 4 August 2025 you inform me if there is any part of the adopted Standards

and Recommended Practices (SARPs) amendments in Amendment 44 concerning

which your Government wishes to register disapproval, using the form in

Attachment B for this purpose. Please note that only statements of disapproval need

be registered and if you do not reply it will be assumed that you do not disapprove of

the amendment;

999 Robert-Bourassa Boulevard

Montréal, Quebec

Canada H3C 5H7

Tel.: +1 514 954-8219-

Fax: +1 514 954-6077-

Email: [email protected]

www.icao.int

International

Civil Aviation

Organization

Organisation

de l’aviation civile

internationale

Organización

de Aviación Civil

Internacional

Международная

организация

гражданской

авиации

- 2 -

b) that before 27 October 2025 you inform me of the following, using the Electronic

Filing of Differences (EFOD) System or the form in Attachment C for this purpose:

1) any differences that will exist on 27 November 2025 between the national

regulations or practices of your Government and the provisions of the whole of

Annex 11 as amended by all amendments up to and including Amendment 44 and

thereafter of any further differences that may arise; and

2) the date or dates by which your Government will have complied with the

provisions of the whole of Annex 11 as amended by all amendments up to and

including Amendment 44.

6. With reference to the request in paragraph 5 a) above, it should be noted that a registration

of disapproval of Amendment 44 or any part of it in accordance with Article 90 of the Convention does not

constitute a notification of differences under Article 38 of the Convention. To comply with the latter

provision, a separate statement is necessary if any differences do exist, as requested in paragraph 5 b) 1). It

is recalled in this respect that international Standards in Annexes have a conditional binding force, to the

extent that the State or States concerned have not notified any difference thereto under Article 38 of the

Convention.

7. With reference to the request in paragraph 5 b) above, it should be also noted that the ICAO

Assembly, at its 39th Session (27 September to 6 October 2016), resolved that Member States should be

encouraged to use the EFOD System when notifying differences (Resolution A39-22 refers). The EFOD

System is currently available on the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) restricted

website (http://www.icao.int/usoap) which is accessible by all Member States. You are invited to consider

using this for notification of compliance and differences.

8. Guidance on the determination and reporting of differences is given in the Note on the

Notification of Differences in Attachment D. Please note that a detailed repetition of previously notified

differences, if they continue to apply, may be avoided by stating the current validity of such differences.

9. I would appreciate it if you would also send a copy of your notifications, referred to in

paragraph 5 b) above, to the ICAO Regional Office accredited to your Government.

10. At the fifth meeting of its 204th Session, the Council requested that States, when being

advised of the adoption of an Annex amendment, be provided with information on implementation and

available guidance material, as well as an impact assessment. This is presented for your information in

Attachments E and F, respectively. An overview of the approval process for Amendment 44 to Annex 15

is also included for your information in Attachment G.

11. As soon as practicable after the amendment becomes effective, on 4 August 2025,

replacement pages incorporating Amendment 44 will be forwarded to you.

Accept, Sir/Madam, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Juan Carlos Salazar

Secretary General

for

- 3 -

Enclosures:

A — Amendment to the Foreword of Annex 15

B — Form on notification of disapproval of all or part of

Amendment 44 to Annex 15

C — Form on notification of compliance with or differences

from Annex 15

D — Note on the Notification of Differences

E — Implementation task list and outline of guidance material in

relation to Amendment 44 to Annex 15

F — Impact assessment in relation to Amendment 44 to Annex 15

G — Overview of approval process for Amendment 44 to Annex 15

ATTACHMENT A to State letter AN 2/2.9-25/27

AMENDMENT TO THE FOREWORD OF ANNEX 15

Add the following element at the end of Table A:

Amendment Source(s) Subject(s)

Adopted/Approved

Effective

Applicable

44 Fifth meeting of the

Meteorology Panel

(METP/5)

Consequential changes for the

development of space weather

information service.

2 April 2025

4 August 2025

27 November 2025

— — — — — — — —

ATTACHMENT B to State letter AN 2/2.9-25/27

NOTIFICATION OF DISAPPROVAL OF ALL OR PART OF

AMENDMENT 44 TO ANNEX 15

To: The Secretary General

International Civil Aviation Organization

999 Robert-Bourassa Boulevard

Montréal, Quebec

Canada H3C 5H7

(State) ____________________________________ hereby wishes to disapprove the following parts of

Amendment 44 to Annex 15

Signature ________________________________________ Date ____________________

NOTES

1) If you wish to disapprove all or part of Amendment 44 to Annex 15 please dispatch this notification

of disapproval to reach ICAO Headquarters by 4 August 2025. If it has not been received by that date

it will be assumed that you do not disapprove of the amendment. If you approve of all parts of

Amendment 44 it is not necessary to return this notification of disapproval.

2) This notification should not be considered a notification of compliance with or differences from

Annex 15 Separate notifications on this are necessary. (See Attachment C.)

3) Please use extra sheets as required.

— — — — — — — —

ATTACHMENT C to State letter AN 2/2.9-25/27

NOTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH OR DIFFERENCES

FROM ANNEX 15

(Including all amendments up to and including Amendment 44)

To: The Secretary General

International Civil Aviation Organization

999 Robert-Bourassa Boulevard

Montréal, Quebec

Canada H3C 5H7

1. No differences will exist on _____________________________ between the national regulations

and/or practices of (State) _____________________________________ and the provisions of Annex 15

including all amendments up to and including Amendment 44

2. The following differences will exist on _____________________________ between the

regulations and/or practices of (State) ______________________________________ and the provisions

of Annex 15 including Amendment 44 (Please see Note 2) below.)

a) Annex Provision

(Please give exact

paragraph reference)

b) Details of Difference

(Please describe the difference

clearly and concisely)

c) Remarks

(Please indicate reasons

for the difference)

(Please use extra sheets as required.)

C-2

3. By the dates indicated below, (State) __________________________________ will have

complied with the provisions of Annex 15 including all amendments up to and including Amendment 44

for which differences have been notified in 2 above.

a) Annex Provision b) Date c) Comments

(Please give exact

paragraph reference)

(Please use extra sheets as required.)

Signature ________________________________________ Date ____________________

NOTES

1) If paragraph 1 above is applicable to your State, please complete paragraph 1 and return this form to

ICAO Headquarters. If paragraph 2 is applicable to you, please complete paragraphs 2 and 3 and return

the form to ICAO Headquarters.

2) A detailed repetition of previously notified differences, if they continue to apply, may be avoided by

stating the current validity of such differences.

3) Guidance on the notification of differences is provided in the Note on the Notification of Differences

and in the Manual on Notification and Publication of Differences (Doc 10055).

4) Please send a copy of this notification to the ICAO Regional Office accredited to your Government.

— — — — — — — —

ATTACHMENT D to State letter AN 2/2.9-25/27

NOTE ON THE NOTIFICATION OF DIFFERENCES

(Prepared and issued in accordance with instructions of the Council)

1. Introduction

1.1 Article 38 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (“Convention”) requires that

a Contracting State notify ICAO any time it does not comply with a Standard in all respects, it does not

bring its regulations or practices into full accord with any Standard, or it adopts regulations or practices

differing in any particular respect from the Standard.

1.2 The Assembly and the Council, when reviewing the notification of differences by

Contracting States in compliance with Article 38 of the Convention, have repeatedly noted that the

timeliness and currency of such notifications is not entirely satisfactory. Therefore, this note is issued to

reiterate the primary purpose of Article 38 of the Convention and to facilitate the determination and

notification of differences.

1.3 The primary purpose of the notification of differences is to promote safety, regularity and

efficiency in air navigation by ensuring that governmental and other agencies, including operators and

service providers, concerned with international civil aviation are made aware of all national regulations and

practices in so far as they differ from those prescribed in the Standards contained in Annexes to the

Convention.

1.4 Contracting States are, therefore, requested to give particular attention to the notification

of differences with respect to Standards in all Annexes, as described in paragraph 4 b) 1) of the Resolution

of Adoption.

1.5 Although differences from Recommended Practices are not notifiable under Article 38 of

the Convention, the Assembly has urged Contracting States to extend the above considerations to

Recommended Practices contained in Annexes to the Convention, as well.

2. Notification of differences from Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs)

2.1 Guidance to Contracting States in the notification of differences to Standards and

Recommended Practices (SARPs) can only be given in very general terms. Contracting States are further

reminded that compliance with SARPs generally extends beyond the issuance of national regulations and

requires establishment of practical arrangements for implementation, such as the provision of facilities,

personnel and equipment and effective enforcement mechanisms. Contracting States should take those

elements into account when determining their compliance and differences. The following categories of

differences are provided as a guide in determining whether a notifiable difference exists:

a) A Contracting State’s requirement is more exacting or exceeds a SARP

(Category A). This category applies when the national regulation and practices are

more demanding than the corresponding SARP, or impose an obligation within the

scope of the Annex which is not covered by the SARP. This is of particular importance

where a Contracting State requires a higher standard which affects the operation of

aircraft of other Contracting States in and above its territory;

D-2

b) A Contracting State’s requirement is different in character or the Contracting State

has established other means of compliance (Category B)*. This category applies, in

particular, when the national regulation and practices are different in character from

the corresponding SARP, or when the national regulation and practices differ in

principle, type or system from the corresponding SARP, without necessarily imposing

an additional obligation; and

c) A Contracting State’s requirement is less protective, partially implemented or not

implemented (Category C). This category applies when the national regulation and

practices are less protective than the corresponding SARP; when no national regulation

has been promulgated to address the corresponding SARP, in whole or in part; or when

the Contracting State has not brought its practices into full accord with the

corresponding SARP.

These categories do not apply to Not Applicable SARP. Please see the paragraph below.

2.2 Not Applicable SARP. When a Contracting State deems a SARP concerning aircraft,

operations, equipment, personnel, or air navigation facilities or services to be not applicable to the existing

aviation activities of the State, notification of a difference is not required. For example, a Contracting State

that is not a State of Design or Manufacture and that does not have any national regulations on the subject,

would not be required to notify differences from Annex 8 provisions related to the design and construction

of an aircraft.

2.3 Differences from appendices, tables and figures. The material comprising a SARP

includes not only the SARP itself, but also the appendices, tables and figures associated with the SARP.

Therefore, differences from appendices, tables and figures are notifiable under Article 38. In order to file a

difference against an appendix, table or figure, States should file a difference against the SARP that makes

reference to the appendix, table or figure.

2.4 Differences from definitions. Contracting States should notify differences from

definitions. The definition of a term used in a SARP does not have independent status but is an essential

part of each SARP in which the term is used. Therefore, a difference from the definition of the term may

result in there being a difference from any SARP in which the term is used. To this end, Contracting States

should take into consideration differences from definitions when determining compliance or differences to

SARPs in which the terms are used.

2.5 The notification of differences should be not only to the latest amendment but to the whole

Annex, including the amendment. In other words, Contracting States that have already notified differences

are requested to provide regular updates of the differences previously notified until the difference no longer

exists.

2.6 Further guidance on the identification and notification of differences, examples of

well-defined differences and examples of model processes and procedures for management of the

notification of differences can be found in the Manual on Notification and Publication of Differences

(Doc 10055).

 The expression “different in character or other means of compliance” in b) would be applied to a national regulation and practice

which achieve, by other means, the same objective as that of the corresponding SARPs or for other substantive reasons so cannot be

classified under a) or c).

D-3

3. Form of notification of differences

3.1 Differences can be notified:

a) by sending to ICAO Headquarters a form on notification of compliance or differences;

or

b) through the Electronic Filing of Differences (EFOD) System at www.icao.int/usoap.

3.2 When notifying differences, the following information should be provided:

a) the number of the paragraph or subparagraph which contains the SARP to which the

difference relates*;

b) the reasons why the State does not comply with the SARP, or considers it necessary to

adopt different regulations or practices;

c) a clear and concise description of the difference; and

d) intentions for future compliance and any date by which your Government plans to

confirm compliance with and remove its difference from the SARP for which the

difference has been notified.

3.3 The differences notified will be made available to other Contracting States, normally in the

terms used by the Contracting State when making the notification. In the interest of making the information

as useful as possible, Contracting States are requested to ensure that:

a) statements be as clear and concise as possible and be confined to essential points;

b) the provision of extracts from national regulations not be considered as sufficient to

satisfy the obligation to notify differences; and

c) general comments, unclear acronyms and references be avoided.

— — — — — — — —

 This applies only when the notification is made under 3.1 a).

ATTACHMENT E to State letter AN 2/2.9-25/27

IMPLEMENTATION TASK LIST AND OUTLINE OF GUIDANCE MATERIAL

IN RELATION TO AMENDMENT 44 TO ANNEX 15

1. IMPLEMENTATION TASK LIST

1.1 Essential steps to be followed by a State to implement the amendment to Annex 15

a) identification of the rule-making process necessary to transpose the modified ICAO

provisions into the national regulations;

b) establishment of a national implementation plan that takes into account the modified

ICAO provisions;

c) drafting of the modification(s) to the national regulations and means of compliance;

d) official adoption of the national regulations and means of compliance;

e) training for State personnel; and

f) filing of State differences with ICAO, if necessary.

2. STANDARDIZATION PROCESS

2.1 Effective date: 4 August 2025

2.2 Applicability date: 27 November 2025

2.3 Embedded date (s): N/A

3. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

3.1 ICAO documentation

Title, Doc no. Type

(PANS/TI/Manual/Circ.)

Planned publication

date

Procedures for Air Navigation

Services — Meteorology

(PANS-MET, Doc 10157)

PANS Q4 2025

Manual on Aeronautical

Meteorological Practices

(Doc 8896)

Manual Q4 2025

Manual on Coordination

between Air Traffic Services,

Aeronautical Information

Services and Aeronautical

Meteorological Services

(Doc 9377)

Manual Q4 2025

E-2

Title, Doc no. Type

(PANS/TI/Manual/Circ.)

Planned publication

date

Manual on Space Weather

Information in Support of

International Air Navigation

(Doc 10100)

Manual Q4 2025

Aeronautical Information

Services Manual (Doc 8126) Manual Q4 2025

3.2 External documentation

Title External Organization Publication date

None

4. IMPLEMENTATION ASSISTANCE TASKS

Type Global Regional

None

5. UNIVERSAL SAFETY OVERSIGHT AUDIT PROGRAMME (USOAP)

5.1 No amendment of the USOAP CMA protocol questions is envisaged.

— — — — — — — —

ATTACHMENT F to State letter AN 2/2.9-25/27

IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN RELATION TO

AMENDMENT 44 TO ANNEX 15

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Amendment 44 to Annex 15 — Aeronautical Information Services is a consequential

amendment intended to address developments of space weather information service.

2. IMPACT ASSESSMENT

2.1 Consequential amendment concerning the development of space weather information

service

2.1.1 Safety impact: Positive. The space weather-related NOTAM requirement is deleted to

avoid confusion and to standardize the information in the advisories.

2.1.2 Financial impact: Positive. Removal of a requirement to issue a NOTAM.

2.1.3 Security impact: No security impact is envisaged with the implementation of this

amendment.

2.1.4 Environmental impact: There is no environmental impact with the implementation of this

amendment.

2.1.5 Efficiency impact: Positive. The space weather-related NOTAM requirement is deleted to

avoid confusion and to standardize the information in the advisories.

2.1.6 Expected implementation time: Since this amendment is consequential, the implementation

time is relative to the entity implementing it.

— — — — — — — —

ATTACHMENT G to State letter AN 2/2.9-25/27

OVERVIEW OF APPROVAL PROCESS FOR

AMENDMENT 44 TO ANNEX 15

Amendment

concerning Source(s)

Preliminary review

by the ANC

State letter

and date

Final review by

the ANC

No. of replies at

final review

Adopted

Effective

Applicable

Consequential changes

for the development of

space weather

information service

(METP/5)

Fifth meeting of the

Meteorology Panel

(METP/5)

24 November 2022

(ANC 221-5 and

Corr. No. 1)

AN 10/1-23/1

26 January 2023

13 June 2024

(ANC 226-7 and

ANC 226-8,

ANC 226-9)

74 Contracting States

5 international

organizations

Total: 79 replies

2 April 2025

4 August 2025

27 November 2025

— END —

AMENDMENT 44

TO THE

INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

AND RECOMMENDED PRACTICES

AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION SERVICES

ANNEX 15

TO THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION

The amendment to Annex 15 contained in this document was adopted by the

Council of ICAO on 2 April 2025. Such parts of this amendment as have not been

disapproved by more than half of the total number of Contracting States on or

before 4 August 2025 will become effective on that date and will become

applicable on 27 November 2025 as specified in the Resolution of Adoption.

(State letter AN 2/2.9-25/27 refers.)

APRIL 2025

INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION

AMENDMENT 44 TO THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

AND RECOMMENDED PRACTICES

ANNEX 15 — AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION SERVICES

RESOLUTION OF ADOPTION

The Council

Acting in accordance with the Convention on International Civil Aviation, and particularly with the provisions

of Articles 37, 54 and 90 thereof,

1. Hereby adopts on 2 April 2025Amendment 44 to the International Standards and Recommended

Practices contained in the document entitled International Standards and Recommended Practices,

Aeronautical Information Services which for convenience is designated Annex 15 to the Convention;

2. Prescribes 4 August 2025 as the date upon which the said amendment shall become effective, except

for any part thereof in respect of which a majority of the Contracting States have registered their disapproval

with the Council before that date;

3. Resolves that the said amendment or such parts thereof as have become effective shall become

applicable on 27 November 2025; 4. Requests the Secretary General:

a) to notify each Contracting State immediately of the above action and immediately after

4 August 2025 of those parts of the amendment which have become effective;

b) to request each Contracting State:

1) to notify the Organization (in accordance with the obligation imposed by Article 38 of the

Convention) of the differences that will exist on 27 November 2025 between its national

regulations or practices and the provisions of the Standards in the Annex as hereby amended,

such notification to be made before 27 October 2025, and thereafter to notify the Organization

of any further differences that arise; and

2) to notify the Organization before 27 October 2025 of the date or dates by which it will have

complied with the provisions of the Standards in the Annex as hereby amended.

c) to invite each Contracting State to notify additionally any differences between its own practices

and those established by the Recommended Practices, following the procedure specified in

subparagraph b) above with respect to differences from Standards.

— — — — — — — —

NOTES ON THE PRESENTATION OF THE

AMENDMENT TO ANNEX 15

The text of the amendment is arranged to show deleted text with a line through it and new text

highlighted with grey shading, as shown below:

Text to be deleted is shown with a line through it. text to be deleted

New text to be inserted is highlighted with grey shading. new text to be inserted

Text to be deleted is shown with a line through it followed by

the replacement text which is highlighted with grey shading.

new text to replace existing text

TEXT OF AMENDMENT 44

TO THE

INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

AND RECOMMENDED PRACTICES

AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION SERVICES

ANNEX 15

TO THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION

. . .

CHAPTER 6. AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION UPDATES . . .

6.3.2 NOTAM

. . .

6.3.2.3 A NOTAM shall be originated and issued concerning the following information:

. . .

w) observations or forecasts of space weather phenomena, the date and time of their occurrence, the flight

levels where provided and portions of the airspace which may be affected by the phenomena;

. . .

Editorial Note.— Renumber subsequent sub-paragraphs accordingly.

— END —