During a meeting between the co-chairs of the Bilateral Oversight Board (BOB) at the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Headquarters in Washington, D.C., the officials with the FAA and the European Union (EU) signed two decisions associated with the Airworthiness Annex of the U.S./EU Safety Agreement.
The first decision, Bilateral Oversight Board (BOB) Decision 0008-0001 (PDF), enables reductions of the EU‘s European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) fees for validation of U.S. aerospace products. This achievement is the culmination of a multi-year effort to reduce duplication of efforts by the FAA and EASA, and to lower EASA fees on U.S. industry to be more commensurate with that reduced level of effort. The decision covers simple design modifications such as Basic Supplemental Type Certificates. Fee reductions will take effect 30 days from today’s signing.
The second decision, BOB Decision 0009 (PDF), amends the U.S./EU Safety Agreement to remove country specific limitations associated with aeronautical products and parts eligible for import into the United States. This amendment treats all EU Member States equally under the agreement and recognizes EASA’s oversight and standardization processes throughout their jurisdiction.
“The FAA is fully committed to mutually working together with our international partners to improve aviation oversight and management,” said FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety and BOB Co-chair Ali Bahrami. “These agreements are a win, win for both the United States and Europe by providing greater access to aerospace markets, products and services.”
Director for Aviation, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport and BOB Co-chair Filip Cornelis said, “Closer cooperation between the European and the US aviation safety oversight bodies brings clear benefits to both sides of the Atlantic. These agreements will facilitate the work of both the European and the US manufacturing sectors and help us maintain the highest.”
About the FAA
The FAA operates the safest, most efficient, and complex aerospace system in the world. The FAA employs more than 45,000 people globally who are dedicated to improving safety, efficiency and environmental sustainability through global leadership, regulatory harmonization and partnerships. The FAA regulates the U.S. civil aviation industry, commercial space transportation, and is increasing safety and efficiency through its air traffic modernization program. Aviation contributes $1.6 trillion annually to the U.S. economy, supports 10.6 million jobs, and constitutes 5.1 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product.
