MEPs from the transport and internal market committees meeting up on Wednesday 12 July during a joint session called on the European Commission to provide them with clarifications about the progress made with the proposal to set up the European certification system for inspection and screening equipment used in aviation safety.
The debate between the European Commission and the two committees focused mainly on the form rather than the substance of the dossier. Representatives from the Commission (DG Home) were subject to questions from the MEPs present about the Commission’s follow-up procedure.
Council blockage. On 7 September last, the European Commission presented a draft regulation to introduce European certification system for inspection and screening equipment used for aviation safety. It observed that despite the introduction of “technical specifications” and “operational requirements” relating to the aviation safety equipment in regulation 300/2008, no single certification system currently exists in the Union and the elements certified in one member state are not subsequently certified in another. Member states will subsequently be able to recognise certification, in an effort to ensure that this equipment is used on the respective national markets.
The member states also drew up a common equipment assessment process in 2008, as part of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) but this is not legally binding.
By proposing to introduce a single certificate, which the national authorities would award and a manufacturer would be able to use throughout the Union, the Commission is therefore hoping to help improve the effective functioning of the internal market and enhance the competitive edge of European industry.
The Council’s aviation working group examined the proposal on 22 November last and gave it to rather cool reception. A number of member states were sceptical, mainly because of reasons linked to subsidiarity and security. According to the Commission, no Presidency has as yet sought to include this dossier on the working groups’ agenda.
MEPs waiting for Commission’s return. MEPs criticised the Commission for failing to say anything about the proposal’s progress. According to MEPs, the Commission has not clearly indicated to Parliament whether the text was going to be withdrawn, whether it was blocked or if the procedure was continuing its “normal” trajectory. During this initial committee debate at the European Parliament, MEPs called on the Commission to provide them with information about the dossier’s progress. Anneleen Van Bossuyt MEP (ECR, Belgium), who co-chaired the session, also pointed out that Parliament would not begin its work until a decision had been taken by the Commission.
On the question of substance, however, the MEPs present appeared to welcome the proposal, such as Dominique Riquet (ALDE France) and Luis de Grandes Pascual (EPP, Spain), who referred to it as an “essential project”. Jacqueline Foster (ECR, United Kingdom), however, expressed her opposition to the text and called for the status quo to be maintained.
According to one parliamentary source, although this proposal has just been debated at Parliament, two other provisions should also be debated. The European Commission is suggesting that a member state will be unable to impose “additional requirements” to prevent the marketing of equipment that has received a certificate of compliance with EU standards. The Commission, however pointed out that although these “additional” measures could not be implemented, “stricter” measures would be acceptable. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)