International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Relationship

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Introduction The EU Aviation Oversight System

The basis of the EASA working relationship is one of both cooperation and partnership between EASA and its Member States

EASA Regulations are issued as

» Implementing Rules – Considered as “Hard” European Law which is applicable to both Industry as well as Regulatory Authorities in each Member State and
» Acceptable Means of Compliance & Guidance Material (AMC & GM) which are considered as “Soft” European Law for which the Member State Regulatory Authority may agree to deviations – Known as Alternate Means of Compliance (AMOC)

EASA fully engages with the Member States with a distribution of competencies and responsibilities.

» EASA and Member States competencies are complementary, which require  cooperation as well as joint initiatives (working together)
» Member States retain their international responsibilities under ICAO
» Member States are part of EASA’s Management Board

How the Relationship between EASA & Member States Function

EASA is responsible for the following:

» Acts when centralization is more effective and efficient
» Acts as one authority for all EASA Member States
» Assumes responsibility for co-ordination and acts as a center of technical expertise
» Supports States in fulfilling their ICAO obligations
» Oversees implementation in States and ensures a level playing field

Member States are responsible for the following:

» Are consulted at policy, planning, and technical level
» Conduct tasks within their responsibility
» Maintain their ICAO representation and remain accountable to ICAO
» May voluntarily opt-in additional services (e.g. if lacking the capability)

Regarding Cooperation with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

EASA maintains close working relations with ICAO on a wide range of activities. Among others, EASA:

» Works with the European Commission and the EASA Member States to coordinate common positions on matters addressed at a global level.
» Supports its Member States in implementing the ICAO standards, for example through the compliance checklists (see below).
» Exchange safety information with ICAO in order to reduce the burden on its Member States.

Note - EASA and ICAO have signed a Working Arrangement through which they coordinate their auditing activities.

» This means that, when inspecting a Member State, EASA may collect the evidence needed by ICAO to close their own findings or assess the level of compliance with ICAO standards.
» Provides technical expertise to ICAO activities.

o   EASA experts take part in the work of around 50 ICAO panels, committees, working groups, study groups, and task forces.

o   Additionally, under the Working Arrangement mentioned above, EASA staff are trained as ICAO auditors and take part in USOAP audits (ICAO’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme) in the EASA states and elsewhere.

EASA Has a permanent representation in Montréal, which serves as a liaison office towards ICAO, by participating in ICAO meetings, informing on EASA policies and regulatory developments, and maintaining a working relationship on technical matters with the ICAO Secretariat.

Contributes to the No Country Left Behind initiative, by coordinating its technical assistance activities with ICAO and other donors at the global and regional levels. EASA also co-chairs ICAO’s Aviation Safety Implementation Assistance Partnership (ASIAP).

ICAO compliance checklists

» Member States of ICAO are required (*) to complete and keep up-to-date so-called ‘compliance checklists’ (CC). The CCs show the status of implementation of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) in a particular State, as well as any differences that may exist between the national/European regulations and the ICAO SARPS.

» EASA must also fill and maintain compliance checklists in the areas of the Agency’s remit, being subject to the ICAO USOAP-CMA (Continuous Monitoring Approach) by virtue of the above-mentioned Working Arrangement.

Note - Information in the compliance checklists of EASA can then be used by the EASA Member States in their own CCs.

Next Steps

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