Strasbourg, 19/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption on Wednesday 14 March in first reading of a report by the Austrian Socialist member, Jörg Leichtfried, on the proposal for a regulation amending the current regulation (EC 1592/2002) on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Aviation Security Agency (AESA), the Parliament took a stance in favour of strengthening the agency's powers, granting it the right to grant certification not only in the technical field (certification of aircraft, propellers, engines and the surveillance of bodies located outside the EU), but also in other fields such as the granting of pilot licenses, air operations or the control of third country aircraft. The Parliament also suggested that the AESA should be empowered to impose fines and constraints upon those who “intentionally or inadvertently” breach European provisions. The regulation must be put to the Council which, in its general guidelines set out on 12 December last, took a stance in favour of reducing AESA's powers toward third country aircraft. (aby