Candidacy of Denmark for the ICAO Council 2025-2028

The Danish candidacy

Denmark has a long-standing tradition of taking responsibility in international aviation. We shoulder this responsibility together with the six other Nordic countries through NORDICAO, where we work to guide ICAO towards more sustainable solutions, new technologies, and a high level of aviation safety.

These are essential elements – not only for the future of aviation, but for global development. Denmark supports the principle that global aviation must advance in line with ICAO’s vision of “No Country Left Behind”.

Together with Greenland and the Faroe Islands, Denmark forms the Kingdom of Denmark, whose airspace spans a significant part of the North Atlantic. Aviation ensures the cohesion of the Kingdom and supports vital connections between regions and families.

Denmark is a strong advocate for ambitious climate goals, constructive international cooperation, and a more streamlined regulatory approach to aviation with reduced bureaucracy – providing the aviation sector with the best possible conditions to develop its own solutions. Furthermore, Denmark supports the idea that everyone should have the opportunity to contribute to the many fields that aviation encompasses.

With a Danish candidacy for the ICAO Council, we aim to strengthen the global agenda for a more sustainable and safe aviation sector. We look forward to sharing our experiences and solutions in close cooperation with the rest of the world.

The Danish candidate for the ICAO Council Elections 2025 - Henrik Ellermann

Henrik is a highly experienced civil servant with more than 25 years in senior positions in various ministries and agencies within defence, food, environment and aviation.

In addition to this experience, Henrik has served in the Royal Danish Navy, where he is a trained naval officer and has, among other things, completed a senior staff course at the Collège Interarmée de Defénse (École Militaire) in Paris.

For the past six years, Henrik has worked as a head of division at The Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority (CAA) and has been responsible for 50+ employees and various domains, including the aerodrome domain, Flight Crew Licensing and Medical, Environment, International and legal coordination.

Henrik has participated in two ICAO General Assemblies, the CAAF/3 conference in Dubai in 2023 and a large number of ICAO meetings and events.

2019 until now: Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority (Head of Division)

› Domains: FCL/FSTD/AML, Medical, Environment, Aerodromes, international and legal coordination

› Member of the Management Advisory Body (MAB) and alt. member of the Management Board, EASA

› Member of the EASA Committee

2014 - 2018: Faxe Utility Company Inc. (CEO)

2009 - 2014: Ministry of Environment and Agencies (Head of Division, Deputy director general)

2002 - 2009: Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fishery and Agencies (Head of Division, Chief of staff)


1982 - 2001: The Danish Ministry of Defense and the Royal Danish Navy (Commander)

› Naval service and operations

› Aide-de-camp (PA) to the Minister of Defense

› Staff officer

1982-1986: Naval officers training, Royal Danish Navy Academy

1989-1990: Junior Staff Course, Danish Defense College


1997-1998: Senior Staff Course, Collège Interarmée de Defénse (École Militaire), Paris


2013: Executive Management Programme, INSEAD, Fontainebleau/France


2016: Executive Board Programme, INSEAD, Fontainebleau/France

Denmark has been involved from the very beginning

A little more than 80 years ago, the “Constitution of Aviation” was signed. On 7 December 1944, Denmark and 51 other nations signed the Chicago Convention, laying the foundation for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Since then, we have been an active part of ICAO and of the unique Nordic cooperation – NORDICAO – which today includes Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, and Latvia.

Denmark is also a member of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), which brings together 44 European states to discuss and coordinate issues ahead of ICAO Assemblies and Council elections. For over a thousand years, the Nordic countries have been historically connected, sharing common values rooted in trust, fairness, and community.

Since the very first election in 1947, the Nordic countries have jointly held one of the 36 seats on the ICAO Council through NORDICAO – taking turns to ensure direct influence on the development and improvement of our global aviation system.

The NORDICAO countries are known for being well-organized, with a constructive and cooperative approach to international tasks. They work actively to find common and innovative solutions that benefit both aviation and the climate.

What we advocate for

New technologies demand agility

We are strong supporters of new technology and innovation in aviation, where artificial intelligence will play an increasing role, and where drones must be safely integrated into the airspace. This calls for more agile processes within ICAO when rules need to be updated and adapted to new realities.

Equality and opportunities for all

We work to promote gender equality and diversity in aviation, ensuring that everyone has equal opportunities to contribute to the field of aviation. Diversity is not just beneficial – it is essential in an increasingly competitive effort to attract skilled pilots, mechanics, air traffic controllers, cabin crew, security staff, and others. We also focus on ensuring that support for victims of aviation accidents and their families is proportionate, so that member states and airlines are not subject to unnecessary costs.

Climate goals as part of growth

Denmark seeks to contribute to the development of ICAO with a sustainability- driven agenda and build on the existing foundation. This must happen in close collaboration with aviation industry stakeholders, who should not be burdened with unnecessary administrative costs, but supported through clear frameworks and competitive conditions.

New technologies require new approaches

The development of new technologies and business models in aviation is progressing at a pace that makes it difficult to keep up with the many regulations needed to maintain a high level of aviation safety. That is why Denmark advocates for performance-based regulations, which aim to ensure that oversight and regulation focus more on actual risk assessment than on procedural requirements and formal technical standards. We should only have the rules that are necessary for safety.

Focus on cybersecurity and digitalization

We are fully aware that we live in an unstable world, making it essential to prioritize cybersecurity within ICAO to strengthen aviation safety collectively. This must be a continuous effort across all aviation domains, including security, ATM, and safety. At the same time, ICAO’s digital transformation must be accelerated to better support workflows and knowledge sharing. For that reason, the Nordic countries within NORDICAO have also contributed financially to ICAO’s digital development.

Here aviation is the most important connection to the world

Denmark may be a small country in Europe, but as part of the Kingdom of Denmark – together with Greenland and the Faroe Islands – we are responsible for an airspace spanning 4.2 million square kilometres, covering a large part of the North Atlantic.

The upper airspace is crossed daily by more than 2,000 flights (ICAO flight aware data) traversing the North Atlantic, while in the lower airspace, aviation is the most vital lifeline for just over 100,000 Greenlanders and Faroese living along rugged coastlines in small towns and settlements.

Since the 1930s and 1940s, when aviation gradually reached Greenland and the Faroe Islands, Denmark has held responsibility for developing and adapting the framework for aviation – considered extremely critical infrastructure. As the civil aviation authority, the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority is responsible for overseeing safety in all the airports and helipads scattered across a vast geographical area – for example, there are 2,700 kilometres between Vágar Airport in the Faroe Islands and Qaanaaq Airfield in northern Greenland.

Our ambition is to create the best possible conditions for aviation in Greenland and the Faroe Islands, in support of the political goals for developing both societies – through improved conditions for welfare, export industries, and tourism.

Currently, we are working to certify two brand-new airports in Greenland, both of which must meet the exact same ICAO safety standards as any other airport in the world.

More diversity in aviation

Our values are rooted in a long Nordic tradition of democracy and cooperation – where everyone should have equal opportunities to make a difference.

As a frontrunner in gender equality, Denmark wants ICAO to actively promote a more diverse aviation workforce, where all individuals are given the opportunity to contribute across the many professions that aviation encompasses.

Greater gender equality strengthens the competitiveness of the aviation industry – something that is especially crucial today, as there is a global shortage of skilled pilots, mechanics, air traffic controllers, cabin crew, and others.

Diversity also relates to safety. Skilled professionals working in diverse teams not only make better and more innovative decisions – they have also proven to be more effective at identifying risks in aviation, helping reduce the likelihood of incidents or accidents.