In two separate, recent decisions, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and officials from the European Union (EU) reached agreements to lower fees on U.S. aerospace companies and remove limitations on items eligible for import to the United States.
“The FAA is fully committed to mutually working together with our international partners to improve aviation oversight and management,” Ali Bahrami, FAA associate administrator for aviation safety and Bilateral Oversight Board (BOB) co-chair, said. “These agreements are a win, win for both the United States and Europe by providing greater access to aerospace markets, products and services.”
In a meeting between the co-chairs of the BOB, officials decided to reduce the EU’s European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) fees for validating U.S. aerospace products. They said that the FAA already undertakes many of the efforts involved, meaning that the EASA was only duplicating efforts already undertaken, and unnecessarily raising costs. Those fee reductions will not be reflected for 30 days from signing.
A second decision in that same meeting amends the U.S./EU Safety Agreement. It eliminates country-specific limitations on aeronautical products and parts eligible for import into the U.S. for all EU member states. What’s more, it recognizes EASA’s oversight and standardization processes within their jurisdiction.
It is, on its whole, a sign of closer cooperation between U.S. and EU aviation safety oversight efforts.