Civil aviation: common rules, European Aviation Safety Agency

ACT:  Commission Regulation 736/2006/EC on working methods of the European Aviation Safety Agency for conducting standardisation inspections.

CONTENT:  this Commission implementing Regulation has been established in accordance with provisions set out in Regulation 1592/2002. Regulation 1592/2002 sets up the European Aviation Safety Agency (hereafter referred to as the Agency), with the specific remit of conducting inspections on aircrafts’ airworthiness; their parts and appliances and on the organisations and personnel involved in aviation. Further, Regulation 1592/2002 requires the Agency to assist the Commission in monitoring and implementing the rules by conducting standardised inspections in the Member States. The Commission is responsible for setting out the working methods of the Agency when conducting standardisation inspections.

The purpose of this Regulation, therefore, is to establish the working methods for conducting standardised inspection in the Member States. Under the terms of this Regulation, the Agency will be empowered to conduct standardised inspections of national aviation authorities as well as conducting inspections of undertakings or associations of undertakings under the oversight of national aviation authorities. The inspections will take place on both a regular and ad hoc basis. The national authorities will be obliged to provide the Agency, upon request, with information needed to conduct the inspections.

In return, the Agency will establish training programmes for its staff to allow them to participate in inspections. The inspection teams will be headed up by a leader, who will be accompanied by at least two other members. The teams will work closely with national co-ordinators, whom the Member States are obliged to appoint in accordance with the Regulation’s provisions. The inspections will entail a number of processes: firstly, a preparatory phase lasting a minimum of ten weeks prior to the inspection; secondly, a visiting phase; thirdly a reporting phase lasting a maximum of 12 weeks following the inspection; fourthly a follow-up phase lasting a maximum of 16 weeks following the reporting phase; and fifthly a closure phase to take place at the end of the follow-up phase.

The final assessment report will establish whether national authorities are: fully compliant; compliant but improvement is recommended; not compliant, with evidence of minor deficiencies; not compliant, with evidence of significant deficiencies; not applicable; and not confirmed.

The Agency will establish appropriate working procedures for implementing the tasks conferred upon it within two months of the Regulation coming into force.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 1 June 2006.