On How the Inclusion of the EU Aviation List Spurs Reform in Central Asia

The EU’s most recent aviation blacklist bars all of Kyrgyzstan’s airlines from entering the Union’s air space, and all but one from Kazakhstan. The blanket ban reflects EU concern at safety deficiencies in the oversight system. Reflecting their Soviet-era legacy, a combination of weak financial resources, outdated legislation and lax regulatory requirements has affected development of the aviation sector in these countries. To meet EU requirements, substantial modernisation of the sector will be required.