Ministry

Various organisational changes have taken effect in the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Local Government, with a number of projects being transferred to the Ministry in 2008.

In accordance with the Government decision concerning the Government Offices of Iceland, municipal affairs and the operation of the Equalization Fund were transferred to the Ministry from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Security.

Responsibility for affairs related to Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) activities at Keflavík Airport and operations of Leifur Eiríksson Air Terminal LTD, (FLE) were moved to the Ministry from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Tho operations of FLE and CAA operations at Keflavík Airport have been merged into a single State-owned corporation, Keflavík International Airport. The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Local Government administers the State's shares in the company.

The third change in the operational structure of the Ministry involved transferring tourism affairs to the Ministry of Industry.The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Local Government. deals with matters concerning:

• Roads and road construction.
• Lighthouses, harbours, the Harbour Improvement Fund and dams.
• Aviation and airports.
• Navigation.
• Planning of land, air and sea transport operations.
• Operations of transportation companies under the auspices of the State.
• Monitoring ships, ship inspection, ship measurements, ship registration, legal registration of seamen and their occupational rights.
• Passenger surface transportation and matters relating to taxi drivers.
• Post and telecommunications.
• Municipal affairs
• Equalization Fund
• Keflavik Airport Ltd - private limited company with 100 percent government ownership.

The Ministry is divided into four departments:

• The Department of Legal and Administrative Affairs
• The Department of Communications
• The Department of Transportation
• The Department of Municipal affairs and Equalization Fund

The work of the Ministry covers i.a. the preparation of drafts of legislative proposals for parliamentary purposes, drafting of regulations, issue of work permits and professional licences, publication of reports and information dissemination. International co-operation is also an important feature of Ministry operations.

Under the auspices of the Ministry are: The Public Road Administration, the Road Accident Analysis Group, the Icelandic Maritime Administration, the Icelandic Civil Aviation Administration, Marine Accident Investigation Board, Aircraft Accident Investigation Board, the Post and Telecom Administration, Equalization Fund, and Keflavik Airport Ltd.