European Commission welcomes EU ministers’ adoption of EU aviation safety rules

Today EU ministers formally adopted the revision of the EU aviation safety regulation. The new rules ensure safe, secure and environmentally friendly aviation for EU citizens and provide the European aviation industry with an effective and balanced legal framework.

Most notably, the regulationo establishes the first ever EU-wide framework for drones: for their harmonised registration as well as for their safe and secure use.

Transport Commissioner Bulc said: "The European ministers have just approved new EU rules to maintain the highest possible aviation safety standards. They are modern and flexible, increasing efficiency and bringing down costs. This means greater competitiveness and less administration for businesses and users alike. It will also establish, for the first time ever EU-wide rules for drones, ensuring a safe, secure and clean development for the years to come! The EU can only lead globally if it has Regulation that is fit for purpose. I am now counting on a swift adoption by our Member States so these rules can become a reality later after the summer.

The new rules will close existing gaps in the legal framework and eliminate red tape. The regulation also includes a system of pooling and sharing of resources between Member States and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). EASA will benefit from better governance and will extend its role on aviation security, including cyber security.

The new EU aviation safety rules are a major deliverable of the Commission's Aviation Strategy for Europe whose core objective is to support the competitiveness of the EU's aviation industry and reinforce its global leadership.

Next steps

The European Commission and the European Aviation Safety Agency will now work on detailed rules and technical standards.