World Meteorological Organization

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

on the

Two-stage discontinuation of the Technical Regulations (WMO-No. 49), Volume II, Meteorological Service for International Air Navigation

Answer 1:

Repeating the provisions, mutatis mutandis, of ICAO Annex 3 – Meteorological Service for International Air Navigation creates an unnecessary redundancy. An additional difficulty stems from the fact that the issuance of amendments to WMO-No. 49, Volume II has not been simultaneous with that to ICAO Annex 3, which has resulted in discrepancies between the two documents. The existence of such differences is contrary to the principles of a quality management system and should therefore be eliminated. Furthermore, maintaining WMO-No. 49, Volume II is often time consuming and costly for the WMO Secretariat.

The problem of the non-simultaneous issuance of amendments to ICAO Annex 3 and WMO-No. 49, Volume II could potentially have been resolved by amending the Working Arrangements Between ICAO and WMO (ICAO Doc 7475). However, the planned issuance of a new ICAO document, ICAO Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Meteorology (PANS-MET, Doc 10157) (foreseen for 2024) would have created a further complication, resulting in a substantial amount of editorial work, with no benefit for WMO Members.

Answer 2:

The discontinuation will happen in two stages. Part I, Core Standards and Recommended Practices and Part II, Appendices and Attachments will be discontinued with effect 31 December 2023. Meanwhile, Part III, Aeronautical Climatology and Part IV, Format and Preparation of Flight Documentation will be discontinued (provisionally) in 2026 once any material of continuing relevance has been transferred to ICAO PANS-MET.

Answer 3:

The decision to discontinue WMO-No. 49, Volume II was recommended by the sixteenth session of the Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology (CAeM-16) in 2018 and approved by the eighteenth World Meteorological Congress (Cg-18) in 2019. The corresponding plan of action was endorsed by the second session of the Services Commission (SERCOM-2) in 2022 and approved by the nineteenth World Meteorological Congress (Cg-19) in 2023. It is therefore too late to object to or to reverse these decisions.

Answer 4:

No. Although the issuance of WMO-No. 49, Volume II will be discontinued, Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) pertaining to the provision of meteorological service for international air navigation continue to be essential, ensuring their required quality and uniform application worldwide. These SARPs will prevail in ICAO Annex 3 and (from 2024) ICAO PANS-MET (Doc 10157). ICAO maintains Annex 3 and (future) PANS-MET as well as supporting technical guidance material in close coordination with WMO.

Answer 5:

The SARPs will be contained in two documents: in ICAO Annex 3 and in ICAO PANS-MET (Doc 10157). ICAO Annex 3 includes the fundamental and fairly stable aeronautical requirements, principally addressed to the Contracting State and its Meteorological Authority, while the technical specifications and procedures are contained in ICAO PANS-MET (Doc 10157), which is mainly addressed to the aeronautical Meteorological Service Provider(s).

Free, online access to ICAO Annex 3 and, when available, the ICAO PANS-MET is via an electronic library (https://elibrary.icao.int/) kindly hosted by ICAO.

In the WMO e-library, current technical regulations may continue to be available; however, they will be flagged with a disclaimer that they are no longer updated and should therefore not be used for operational or legal purposes.

Answer 6:

The situation facing your NMHS is not unique since other NMHSs sometimes face the same challenges. International organizations such as WMO and ICAO, including through their respective regional offices, can offer support to establish or renew engagement between the NMHS, the CAA and others concerned (e.g. the air navigation service providers).

In addition, it can sometimes prove beneficial to liaise with other NMHSs in the region who may have encountered and overcome similar challenges in the past, to learn from shared experiences and strategies that have worked.

Answer 7:

The international SARPs will be subject to the review/approval/adoption process established by ICAO. However, WMO will continue to be fully involved in the process as explained under Question 8.

Answer 8:

No. Standards and Recommended Practices have always been developed by ICAO in close coordination with WMO. The role of WMO will remain unchanged and central in this process, even after the discontinuation of the issuance of WMO-No. 49, Volume II by WMO.

Answer 9:

National rules, regulations and/or legislation may have to be updated or otherwise amended. In most instances this may simply entail changing references from WMO-No. 49, Volume II to ICAO Annex 3 and/or ICAO PANS-MET (Doc 10157). The WMO Member will need to determine, for itself, if, where and how its regulatory framework needs to be updated.

Answer 10:

Yes. Other WMO technical regulations and guidance material that cross-reference WMO-No. 49, Volume II will have to be updated as a consequence of the discontinuation. WMO intends to introduce these consequential amendments at the earliest opportunity, for example the next time each affected publication is amended or updated. The completion of this process could, however, take several years to complete owing to the nature and number of publications involved.