EASA and EUROCONTROL enhance their cooperation to strengthen aviation expertise at European level

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and EUROCONTROL have decided to establish a strong common basis and a general framework for an efficient and mutually beneficial co-operation which aims to benefit the aviation community as a whole.

Initially, quick wins are expected to be in the areas of training, pooling of resources, oversight of SESAR Deployment, assessment of military airspace user’s requirements, support to national civil aviation authorities just to name a few. Additionally, cooperation also includes the development of the EU Neighbouring Policy, the EU External Aviation Policy.

A formal agreement is envisaged for the second half of 2013 to establish an ambitious programme of cooperation between the two organisations.

The cooperation will include not only the actions needed to implement the Single European Sky at the highest possible standard, but also will cover the area of environmental protection. EASA’s regulatory work will be supported with EUROCONTROL expertise in areas of Air Traffic Management, airspace and route design.

Frank Brenner, the Director General of EUROCONTROL stated that: “the combination of EASA’s safety regulatory competence and EUROCONTROL’s longstanding expertise in the air navigation sector will allow the aviation industry and operators to benefit from the single framework which is needed for the oversight and certification of pan-European infrastructure and centralised services”.

Patrick Goudou, the Executive Director of EASA added that: “this new framework is instrumental for the development of a more competitive air transport industry in Europe”.EUROCONTROL believes this agreement will provide the optimal framework to combine the expertise and resources of the two European organisations, following the extension of EASA competences to ATM/ANS and aerodromes.

EASA and EUROCONTROL have always shared the vision of an optimal and integrated pan-European ATM network as a means of ensuring that Europe is the safest region for aviation.