GAMA Hails European Parliament’s Adoption of New EASA Mandate

Brussels, Belgium — The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) today hailed the European Parliament for its vote overwhelmingly in favour of a new mandate for the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), during a plenary session. The new EASA ‘Basic Regulation’ will replace the existing Regulation 216/2008. This decisive step follows more than two years of drafting and preparation by the EU institutions, which culminated in a political agreement among the Parliament, Member States and Commission on 1 December 2017.

“Today’s endorsement by the entire Parliament paves the way for a new, modernised EASA framework in the coming months,” said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce. “We are grateful to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), led by Rapporteur Mr. Marian-Jean Marinescu MEP, and the Shadow Rapporteurs, for skillfully guiding this vital piece of legislation through to this final step. Industry and EASA are reliant on this new framework to fully realise the benefits of new technologies, oversight methods and the changing aviation landscape.”

Following the Parliament’s final vote on the new Basic Regulation, EU Member States must formally vote on the agreed compromise at Ministerial-level to finish the process. Upon this adoption by the Council of the EU, the new legislation can be published in the EU’s Official Journal and enter into force 20 days later. Numerous initiatives will then be required to subsequently update all of the lower-level rules, which implement the framework of the Basic Regulation.

Bunce continued, “This has been a mammoth task for all involved, and we truly appreciate the Parliament’s efforts to emphasise the need for appropriate rules for general aviation, in particular. MEPs have continually pushed Member States to address one of the most glaring omissions in European safety efforts — the lack of basic aggregate data sharing among national authorities.”

The text contains explicit language on the need for efficient certification and validation procedures, along with new roles for EASA in the areas of oversight, security, research and beyond. The new concept of a pan-European maintenance provider or operator under EASA oversight is a vital provision, which will allow appropriate companies to fully benefit from the pan-European international nature of aviation regulation.

For additional information, please contact Sarah McCann, GAMA Director of Communications, at +1 (202) 637-1375 or smccann@gama.aero.

GAMA is an international trade association representing over 100 of the world's leading manufacturers of general aviation airplanes and rotorcraft, engines, avionics, components and related services. GAMA's members also operate repair stations, fixed based operations, pilot and maintenance training facilities and manage fleets of aircraft. For more information, visit GAMA's website at www.GAMA.aero.