EU-US cooperation on civil aviation safety

 

SUMMARY OF:

Agreement between the USA and the EU on cooperation in the regulation of civil aviation safety

Decision 2011/719/EU — conclusion of the US-EU agreement on civil aviation safety

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND OF THE DECISION?

It aims to facilitate trade in goods and services in the civil aviation industry between the USA and the EU, by:

• limiting any duplication of effort on assessments, tests and controls; and
• the two parties recognising and relying on each other’s certification systems to check conformity.

The decision adopts and approves the agreement on behalf of the EU.

KEY POINTS

The agreement seeks to achieve:

• reciprocal acceptance by the USA and the EU of each other’s compliance and approvals issued by the respective aviation authorities and their technical advisors;
• a high level of safety in air transport;
• continuing close cooperation on regulations and harmonisation between the USA and the EU in the following areas (revised by Amendment 1), including
  • airworthiness approvals and monitoring of civil aeronautical products, such as aircraft or aircraft parts
  • environmental testing and approvals of civil aeronautical products
  • approvals and monitoring of maintenance facilities
  • personnel licensing and training
  • aircraft operation and
  • air-traffic services and air-traffic management.

For each of these areas, the two parties will develop annexes to the agreement describing the terms and conditions for reciprocal acceptance of compliance and approvals, when civil aviation standards, rules, practices and procedures are sufficiently compatible in that area.

The parties also agree that any technical differences between their civil aviation systems will be dealt with in the annexes.

A Bilateral Oversight Board is set up to ensure that the agreement is effective, in particular:

• handling disputes;
• amending the annexes as appropriate;
• providing a forum for discussion on
  • issues or changes that could affect the agreement’s implementation
  • common approaches to safety and environmental issues
  • sharing information on aviation safety concerns
  • draft regulations and legislation by either party;
• sharing information on planned organisational changes;
• adopting additional annexes as appropriate;
• making proposals to amend the agreement.

Initial annexes adopted as part of the agreement

• 1.

  Airworthiness and environmental certification;

• 2.

  Maintenance.

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The agreement entered into force on 1 May 2011.

BACKGROUND

See also:

• Strengthening aviation safety through international cooperation (European Commission).
• EU-USA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency)

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Agreement between the United States of America and the European Community on cooperation in the regulation of civil aviation safety (OJ L 291, 9.11.2011, pp. 3-44)

Amendment 1 to the Agreement on cooperation in the regulation of civil aviation safety between the European Community and the United States of America (OJ L 11, 16.1.2018, pp. 3-5)

Council Decision 2011/719/EU of 7 March 2011 concerning the conclusion of the Agreement between the United States of America and the European Community on cooperation in the regulation of civil aviation safety (OJ L 291, 9.11.2011, pp. 1-2)

last update 11.01.2019