International Agreements and Organizations — Page 42, Lesson 81

Let’s pick up with the European Aviation Safety Agency — EASA. I want you to think of it as the centrepiece of the European Union’s strategy for aviation safety. Its mission is to promote the highest common standards of safety and environmental protection in civil aviation. Now, here’s the key division of labour. National authorities still carry out the majority of operational tasks — things like certifying an individual aircraft or licensing pilots. But EASA ensures that common safety and environmental standards exist at the European level. So it’s not replacing the national bodies; it’s setting the common baseline that they all work to. Let me walk you through EASA’s current responsibilities, because each one is a distinct function. First, rulemaking — that means drafting safety legislation and providing technical advice to the European institutions and the member states. Second, inspections, training and standardisation programmes, which exist to ensure uniform implementation of European aviation safety legislation in all member states. Third, safety and environmental type-certification of aircraft, engines and parts — that’s the certification of the design itself. Fourth, approval and oversight of aircraft design organizations world-wide, and of production and maintenance organizations outside the EU. And fifth, data collection, analysis and research to improve aviation safety. Now let’s move to the JAA — the Joint Aviation Authorities. This is an associated body of ECAC, which is the European Civil Aviation Conference. The JAA represents the civil aviation regulatory authorities of a number of European States who have agreed to co-operate in developing and implementing common safety regulatory standards and procedures. The purpose of that co-operation is to provide high and consistent standards of safety, and a ‘level playing field’ for competition in Europe. Membership in the JAA is based on signing the “JAA Arrangements” document, which was originally signed by the then current member states in Cyprus in 1990. Now, an important point: at the time of publishing, EASA has taken over the role of the JAA. But the JAA remains as an integral organization to administer those countries outside the EU Member States which have adopted JAA rules and regulations. So it hasn’t vanished — it still serves non-EU states that follow JAA rules. Let me give you the JAA’s objectives and functions, because they’re stated precisely. First, to ensure, through co-operation, common high levels of aviation safety within Member States. Second, through the application of uniform safety standards, to contribute to fair and equal competition within Member States. Third, to aim for cost-effective safety and minimum regulatory burden, so as to contribute to European industry’s international competitiveness. Finally, the JAA organization. The JAA is controlled by a Committee, which works under the authority of the Plenary Conference of ECAC, and reports to the JAA Board of Directors General. The Board is responsible for review of general policy and long term objectives of the JAA. The JAA Committee is composed of one member from each Authority, and is responsible for the administrative and technical implementation of the Arrangement. And both the Committee and the Board are supported by a Secretariat. So you have a clear hierarchy: the Committee does the administrative and technical work, the Board sets general policy and long-term objectives, and the Secretariat supports both. That’s the structure you need to hold onto.