Brussels, Belgium—The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) today welcomed the signing into force of an agreement between the United States and European Union, recognising each other’s high safety standards through the acceptance of approved components, known as Technical Standard Orders (TSOs).

“Today’s exchange of signatures between the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the European Commission represents a significant step forward in the partnership between these two leading safety authorities,” said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce. “By removing unnecessary bureaucracy, we improve safety by facilitating the flow of approved components both ways across the Atlantic.”

Technical Standard Orders and European Technical Standard Orders (ETSOs) are an agreed-upon set of requirements to authorise components such as radios, GPSs, and transponders. The agreement, which falls under the broader EU-US Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement, removes repetitive oversight by no longer requiring manufacturers to apply for a comparable authorisation by the second authority. The agreement entered into force upon the exchange of signatures in Brussels earlier today.

“This agreement promises to translate into increased availability of the latest modern avionics in general aviation cockpits, and the resultant benefits this brings with it,” said Bunce. “This is the first step in a longer process of maximising the use of our bilateral agreements—with authorities freeing up their limited resources to focus on pressing safety issues, and simultaneously facilitating our manufacturers’ development of innovative, safer technologies.”