Brussels, 19/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - As we announced yesterday (EUROPE, p.12), the Telecommunications Council formally adopted in Luxembourg, on Tuesday, the regulation creating the European Aviation Safety Agency. Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio welcomed this saying "this is a decisive step as we now have an essential instrument for a real European air safety policy, which guarantees the highest level of protection for our citizens, while allowing our industry to fight with equal weapons in the world". The Commission has already begun work to prepare and facilitate the setting up of an agency that will be operational in one year's time.
The European Aviation Safety Agency will be responsible for: 1) helping the Community legislator in the development of common norms to ensure the highest level of security and environmental protection possible; 2) ensuring uniform application of these norms in Europe, as well as the implementation of the necessary safeguard measures; and 3) promoting the diffusion of these norms at world level. The Agency's decision will be taken by its executive director. It will itself carry out certain implementation tasks when collective action proves more effective than individual action by Member States, for example for the issuance of type approval certificates for aeronautical products. In other cases, it will assist the Commission in the surveillance of the correct application of common rules by Member States. Furthermore, the agency will ensure the promotion of the harmonisation of technical rules and uniform application concerning the environmental compatibility of aircraft. Finally, it will on one hand assist the Commission during negotiations with the aeronautical authorities of third countries and the relevant international organisations, and, on the other hand, the Community and its Member States in cooperation activities with third countries.