A set of options for the future of JAA/EASA relations was discussed during the ECAC's fifty-first special Meeting of Directors General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in Yalta, from 30 August to 2 September 2002. The DG's decided that the so called Option 3, by which the regulatory and certification activity would be conducted within the EASA system but with transparency to non-EASA Member States for their relevant decision, offered the highest prospects for the transition period. It was also agreed that Option 4 should be the ultimate goal, under which JAA activities would be fully integrated with EASA.
Following that decision, JAA actively participated to the activity for the transition from the JAA system to EASA by developing in consultation with the Commission a transition process on regulatory aspects. On September 28, 2003 EASA begun its activities. Competence for certification and maintenance for EU Member States was transferred to EASA at this time. After this important first step an orderly scaling down of JAA with clearly fixed milestones commenced. The next consist of extending the scope of EASA to aircraft operations and crew licensing. To this end EASA submitted to the European Commission its opinion 3/2004. It is now for the Commission to start its legislative process to amend EASA Regulation (EC) 1592/2002.
In light of the above, the JAA Board took the initiative to develop a 'Roadmap' for the establishment of clear milestones for its medium term activities. Accordingly, a working group on the Future of JAA (FUJA) was established to develop this roadmap under clearly defined objectives, tasks and deliverables (Terms of Reference). The Working Group was chaired by the JAAB Chairman and consisted of representatives from the Central JAA, JAAC, some national aviation authorities, EASA, the ECAC secretariat and the European Commission.
The main objective of the FUJA working group was to produce a detailed document regarding the future of JAA (the so called Roadmap) inclusive of a precise indication as to when, where and how each activity performed by JAA would be transferred or disbanded (milestones) and to consider the best suited means to continue the association with non-EU ECAC states in on going safety related activities in Europe. The document also addressed the funding of JAA during the transitional process.
The Chairman of the working group submitted a progress report at the meeting of DGCA/123 on 13-14 April 2005. The final report was presented to the ECAC Director Generals at their Special Meeting on 26 August 2005 in Romania and at which time the report together with the main decisions (see excerpt) were adopted.
The implementation of the FUJA Report started immediately subsequent to this. CJAA and EASA established 6 transition forces to deal with the following issues:
- certification
- regulation
- standardisation
- SAFA matters
- international affairs
- administrative matters
In Spring of 2006 it became more and more clear that the extension of EASA's competences in the fields of air operations (OPS) and pilot licensing (LIC) would take considerably more time that originally anticipated. Therefore, on 9 May 2006 the JAA governing bodies decided to slightly expand the role of the planned JAA Liaison Office (JAA LO) whereby the office would not only fulfil its liaison function between EASA and the JAA Members yet to become members of EASA, but would also ensure the general management of the JAA's rulemaking activities and continue with assuring the secretariat of the so called Sectorial Teams. Work of a purely technical nature would be undertaken by EASA.
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