Iraq nears EU air ban lift: 71% of corrective plan completed

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani chaired a meeting with representatives of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), reviewing the latest steps toward lifting the European Union’s ban on Iraqi Airways.

According to a statement from the prime minister’s office, Iraq has completed 71% of a corrective plan developed to address the conditions behind the ban. Discussions also covered a proposed memorandum of understanding between Iraq and IATA to formalize future technical cooperation.

Moreover, officials from IATA and Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority presented updates on compliance with international aviation safety standards, including those set by the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). IATA noted an improved performance in Iraqi Airways’ flight operations, outlining plans for technical training programs to strengthen local capacity in aviation governance.

The meeting also addressed airport security protocols, pilot development strategies, and coordination between Iraqi Airways and service providers in cargo, ground handling, and fuel operations.

Iraqi Airways has been barred from flying in EU airspace since 2015 due to failures to meet international safety requirements. The ban, which had been briefly lifted in 2009, was initially imposed in 1991 following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and the introduction of international sanctions. For most of the past decade, the restriction has remained in place, limiting the airline’s ability to operate flights to Europe.