To achieve streamlined aviation safety in Europe, EASA - the European Aviation Safety Agency - needs to become a strong and independent safety "one-stop-shop". To realize this objective, ECA is keenly supporting the Commission proposal for extending EASA's tasks to Air Operations, Pilot Licensing and Certification of Third-country Aircraft by 2008.

Therefore, we are very pleased that the European Parliament and Council are now conducting their first readings for the revision of the EC Regulation 1592/2002, which set-up EASA and are intending to complete these 1st readings by Summer 2007!

On 23 January 2007, EP Transport Committee voted on its draft report, indicating a number of changes to the Commission proposal. These changes concentrated mainly on some politically controversial issues such as the governance and financing of EASA and cabin crew licensing. While the final vote of the EP's first reading is due in its March Plenary, the Council already started its deliberations on the report. ECA has been following these deliberations and the preliminary Council common position.

Next to supporting extension of EASA's tasks, ECA is seeking to ensure that the achievements on EU-OPS so far would not be lost once EASA takes over, and that, for example, non-technical skills' assessment does not become part of EU pilot licensing requirements.