Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Feb 1998

Vol. 487 No. 6

Written Answers - Joint Aviation Authorities.

Jim Higgins

Question:

114 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the status and political accountability of the Joint Aviation Authorities in the light of EU Directive 392/91. [4592/98]

The Joint Aviation Authorities — JAA — are an associate body of the European Civil Aviation Conference — ECAC — representing the civil aviation safety regulatory authorities of a number of European states who have agreed to co-operate in developing and implementing common safety regulatory standards and procedures. This co-operation is intended to provide high and consistent standards of safety. The JAA is a pan-European body with a broader base than the EU but does not have a formal legal status.

The EU Council adopted in 1991 EU Regulation 3922/91 on the harmonisation of technical requirements and administrative procedures in the field of civil aviation. The idea behind this regulation is that the rules developed within the JAA system can be presented to the EU Council for adoption. This procedure formally legalises, within the EU, the common standards adopted within the JAA system.

The rules adopted by the JAA have no legal status unless they are either adopted within the EU system or are implemented by the national aviation authorities into national law. In this regard the Irish Aviation Authority is the responsible authority.

The general experience amongst EU member states is that EU Regulation 3922/91 has not proved to be effective. This has led to calls for a more formally and legally structured safety authority with Europe. Discussions are ongoing within the EU Council regarding the possible establishment of such an authority. It is too early to say what form such an authority would take and therefore its accountability.

Top
Share