Strasbourg, 10/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday in second reading the European Parliament adopted the Council's common position on the setting up of the European Aviation Safety Agency, keeping all the amendments tabled by the EP's Transport Committee to increase the new Agency's autonomy and extend its scope. Rapporteur Ingo Schmitt (EPP, Germany) negotiated most of the amendments with the Council and Commission to avoid having to use conciliation (see EUROPE of 5 April, p.13). The Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio said during the debate that she could accept virtually all the amendments as long as some of them were not interpreted in the sense of restricting the Commission's right of initiative. She agreed with the amendments that strengthened the powers of the EASA's executive director and also the amendment cutting the transition period to 42 months (rather than the 5 years the Council wanted). For a time, the certificates awarded by the EASA would sit alongside certificates granted by the different Member States. Ingo Schmitt remarked that the EASA would allow the industry to have a single authority.