Civil Aviation Bill under Legislative Review in Ecuador
Written by Xavier Rosales and Chester Salazar del Pozo for CorralRosales – Ecuador, November 2025
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The Ecuadorian National Assembly (Congress) is reviewing the Organic Civil Aviation Bill, a comprehensive initiative to modernize the country’s aeronautical framework and consolidate its core regulatory instruments into a single statute. The Bill was submitted by the Ecuadorian Aviation Authority (DGAC) on 2 September 2025 and admitted to process by the Legislative Administration Council (CAL) on 12 September 2025. As of November 2025, it remains under examination by the Economic Development Commission, which is gathering stakeholder input prior to issuing the report for the first plenary debate.
Ecuador is moving toward a unified framework that merges the current Civil Aviation Law and the Aeronautical Code. This reformatory Bill seeks to remove overlaps, update technical references and align the system with international standards.
As part of this process, CorralRosales (through Chester Salazar del Pozo) has been invited by the Commission to provide technical and legal input during preparation of the first‑debate report, reinforcing the sector’s collaborative approach to policy modernization.
Institutional restructuring is a central feature. The newly established Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT), is expected to assume the role of principal policymaking authority for the sector. The continuity of the National Civil Aviation Council (CNAC) is under discussion as legislators and industry participants consider whether its strategic and permitting functions should be reassigned.
From a regulatory perspective, the Bill introduces several notable changes. It mandates implementation and maintenance of the State Safety Programme (SSP) consistent with the Chicago Convention and ICAO Annexes. The DGAC would receive explicit authority to issue and repeal technical regulations (RDAC’s) and to adopt precautionary measures when required to protect public safety or national security. The framework is also updated to address unmaned aircraft systems (RPAS), cybersecurity, dangerous goods and facilitation programs.
Compared with the current Civil Aviation Law, the Bill consolidates two core instruments into a single piece of legislation, clarifies the policymaking role of the MIT, strengthens safety oversight and regulatory powers and integrates previously fragmented areas such as RPA’S and cybersecurity. Ecuador’s aviation legislation has not undergone a full revision since 2007; therefore, subsequent changes have been limited, with the most recent updates published in July 2025. As the Commission finalizes its report, operators and stakeholders are encouraged to prepare technical positions on many scenarios, proportionality of sanctions and due process, inter‑agency coordination and technological integration.
The outcome of the debate on the CNAC’s future will likely shape aviation governance in the years ahead, while the Bill overall aims to align Ecuador’s system with international best practices and support a modern, safe and competitive industry.