GAMA marks EASA Basic Regulation entering into force

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) today marked the entering into force of a new framework aviation safety rule underpinning the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) system. The new rule, known as the 'Basic Regulation,' updates the mandate of EASA and sets out more pragmatic, future-proof methods to regulate the sector appropriately.

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 new provision, which will allow appropriate companies to fully benefit from the pan-European international nature of aviation regulation.

"This lays the foundations for an EASA 2.0, the result of a mammoth effort from EASA, the EU institutions and stakeholders," said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce. "Industry, however, will see little change until the underlying technical rules are in place. We now have the 'what' but we still need the 'how'."

The new regulation foresees a maximum of five years to update EASA's current implementing rules, including those covering operations, licensing and airworthiness. A key element in the new performance-based approach is to ensure that regulations focus on safety objectives rather than prescribing rigid solutions that cannot keep pace with technological innovation.

"Unfortunately, even today we see a major bottleneck when it comes to the European Commission and Member States finalising proposals from EASA," Bunce continued. "We need to see a significant improvement in how new safety rules emerge, to avoid industry of all sizes treading water for years to come. We can avoid this only with a well-resourced EASA and a newfound efficiency in Brussels."