International Air Navigation Conference

International Air Navigation Conference

Conférence internationale de navigation aérienne
Procès-verbaux des séances et annexes. Paris (18 mai-29 juin 1910). Paris, 1910.
Type	Aviation
Effective	No treaty finalised

The Paris International Air Navigation Conference of 1910, also known as the Conférence internationale de navigation aérienne, was the first diplomatic conference to consider formulating international law about aviation. It was proposed by the French government who were concerned about aircraft from foreign nations flying over their territory and was attended by representatives from 19 European nations.

The key question considered by the conference was whether nations had the right to prevent foreign aircraft flying over their territory. Opinion was divided between those nations that wished a wide freedom of movement for aircraft and those that, for reasons of national security, wished to control which aircraft crossed into their country.

The conference went into recess in June 1910 but did not reconvene due to differences of opinion and then later the outbreak of the First World War. Hence, no agreement was signed. Its deliberations, however, influenced the development of international aviation law.