ECAC'S Strategy Dec 2015

DECEMBER 2015
ECAC’s
Strategy for
the Future
A Policy
Statement
Endorsed by ECAC Directors General of Civil Aviation

at DGCA/145
ECAC’s
Strategy for the Future
I] The role of ECAC

s Europe’s largest and longest-standing aviation organisation,
A ECAC has a unique status in the region and a key role to play
in supporting its Member States as they address issues
affecting the European civil aviation sector, in particular in relation to
safety, security, environment, air navigation and economics. It fulfils
this role in concert with other key international organisations of the
European civil aviation community, such as the European Union
(including the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)), EURO-
CONTROL agency and industry associations.
Thanks to the trust and solidarity among its Member States, on which
ground their relations are based, ECAC strives to take its decisions by
consensus.
ECAC’s priorities in discharging its role are:

a) To act as a pan-European aviation think-tank;
b) To support its Member States in developing harmonised
pan-European positions and solutions; and
c) To serve as a centre of expertise for its Member States.
2
I] The role of ECAC
A A pAN-EUROpEAN AvIATION ThINk-TANk

ECAC provides an excellent opportunity for free and open discussion
between its Member States on key strategic issues, without binding
implications. This also offers the European Union (including EASA) and
EUROCONTROL views and suggestions where and when the governing
bodies of these organisations do not have a similar opportunity. ECAC
represents a think-tank for many new concepts and innovative matters,
not only during DGCA meetings but also through the organisation of
the ECAC/EU Dialogue with the air transport industry and the annual
ECAC Forum.
The unique pan-European dimension of ECAC creates a bridge
between EU and non-EU ECAC Member States. ECAC acts as a facilitator
and supports the adoption and implementation of EU standards in all
its Member States.
B SUppORT TO ECAC MEMbER STATES fOR

INTERNATIONAL ENgAgEMENT
ECAC supports its Member States in the development of harmonised pan-
European positions in all areas of aviation policy and practice for delivery
at ICAO and in other important international fora. This work is done in
close co-ordination with the European organisations, bringing to the task
ECAC’s unique European-wide membership. Additionally, the cooperative
relationship developed over the years with other regional aviation
organisations is an asset to explain and try to secure global support for
European policies.
The co-ordination of pan-European positions at major ICAO
meetings (Assembly, High-Level Conferences, as well as ICAO Panels and
Committees) is very valuable. Thanks to joint EU/ECAC co-ordination, the
44 ECAC Member States develop common positions on issues of common
interest and can speak with one single voice.
3
C TO SERvE AS A CENTRE Of ExpERTISE
ECAC support to Member States is delivered through the work of several
working groups which elaborate standards and good practices, perform
analyses and draft position papers and policies, also taking into
consideration the need to prevent overlaps and duplication with other
European aviation organisations. In this sense, ECAC performs these
activities when there is a clear added value for all ECAC Member States.
II] ECAC priorities

A SAfETy ANd AIR NAvIgATION
EASA covers safety activities not only for the EU Member States but also
for those other ECAC Member States covered by the EASA regulatory
framework. In the field of safety, ECAC will therefore focus its activities
only on areas where there is no overlap of activities with EASA, and in
particular on the sharing of experiences and good practices within the
Group of Experts on Accident and Incident investigation (ACC).
ECAC will continue to play a supporting role in the field of air
navigation matters, acting in concert with the European Union (including
EASA) and EUROCONTROL agency, and to consolidate a pan-European
approach within ECAC Member States.
B SECURITy
Alongside the continued delivery of its security policies, and in
discharging its role as the centre of expertise for Europe on aviation
security, ECAC will further develop and refine its Audit and Capacity
Building Programmes to reflect a more risk-based approach. By identifying
the most critical areas, ECAC establishes the basis for the implementation
of appropriate mitigation measures, focussing on the main risks. The
sharing of information on risks between ECAC Member States is critical
to the implementation of such mitigation measures.
4
II] ECAC priorities
Through security audits and a wide range of capacity building activities

ECAC will continue to support its Member States in their implementation
of European security requirements. The promotion of the One Stop
Security concept between EU and non-EU Member States will also be
continued.
International cooperation with key partners, whether regional/
sub-regional organisations or individual States, will remain a priority with
the objective of building partnerships and sharing experiences with other
regions. The performance of security projects by ECAC, such as the one
funded by the European Union for the benefit of Africa, will contribute to
strengthening international working relationship with other regions.
ECAC will continue to serve as a centre of expertise for Europe on
the development of technical specifications and common testing
methodologies for security equipment, and the conduct of laboratory
tests under the Common Evaluation Process of security equipment. This
expertise is also widely recognised by ECAC’s international partners.
Furthermore, by avoiding any duplication with the European Union it will
maintain its high profile in developing recommendations in areas of
emerging interest (e.g. cyber security, unpredictability, behaviour
detection) and in elaborating guidance material.
C fACILITATION
Very often linked to aviation security, facilitation supports the efficient
and sustainable development of air transport. Being the only European
organisation dealing with all aspects of facilitation (e.g. immigration,
customs, health), ECAC will continue to pursue the development of
efficient, effective and uniform aviation facilitation measures (e.g., for
persons with reduced mobility and persons with disabilities) on a pan-
European basis, and will support ECAC Member States in their harmonised
implementation of such measures.
5
D ENvIRONMENT
The environmental impacts of the aviation sector are, and will continue
to be, of primary importance for the aviation community. ECAC’s activity
on environment matters, in particular on the issue of climate change and
the implementation of Global Market-Based Measures, will continue to
be performed in close cooperation with the European Commission. In
particular, ECAC will focus its activities where and when there is an added
value for ECAC Member States, in particular from the pan-European per-
spective. An efficient collaboration amongst European aviation organi-
sations is of the utmost importance in order to prevent overlaps or
duplication with their respective activities, and create complementarities
and synergies.
E AvIATION ANd ECONOMICS

ECAC is a valuable forum for pan-European consideration of the economic
dimension of international air transport, including future trends and
challenges (e.g., global competition). The annual ECAC Forum and
periodic ECAC/EU Dialogues with the air transport industry are important
vehicles for debating economic issues.
ECAC will support mutual understanding and cooperation on
economic matters of interest to ECAC Member States, such as European
air transport competitiveness and connectivity as well as other emerging
issues.
F TRAININg
Training in issues such as safety and security is important to create an
aviation culture. ECAC will continue to promote aviation training through
the continuation of the management of the Network of Training
Organisations, with the objective of creating conditions to share best
practices amongst several European aviation training organisations, and
by offering encouragement to its two associated bodies (JAA TO and
EASTI) to develop training courses which meet the demands of ECAC
Member States and the needs of the wider aviation community.
6
II] ECAC priorities
G ExTERNAL RELATIONS
Since its creation in 1955 ECAC has established and maintained
cooperative relationships with non-ECAC States and organisations. These
relationships were initially limited to other European States, which later
became members of ECAC themselves, and to international and
European organisations. They have been extended progressively to all
regions of the world, thus reflecting the international dimension of the
air transport sector.
To date, ECAC has signed a series of formal agreements with
international and regional organisations (e.g., ACAC, AFCAC and LACAC),
and with a number of individual States. Generally these agreements focus
on a comprehensive cooperation based on the exchange of information
and mutual participation in meetings and events, while a few agreements
have a more limited scope focussing on aviation security.
ECAC has established and actively maintains a framework of
relations and dialogue with external partners, including major emerging
aviation States. ECAC’s external relations serve the following objectives:
• To promote pan-European positions and priorities at ICAO and at
other major international events, ensuring that they are well
represented there; and
• To learn from and influence selected major aviation States and
regional organisations through the establishment of new coop-
erative relationships and the strengthening of those with
existing partners, within and beyond Europe.
7
FOR MORE INFORMATION,
PLEASE CONTACT:
ECAC Secretariat
3 bis, Villa Emile Bergerat
92522 Neuilly-sur-Seine Cedex FRANCE
Tel. : +33 (0)1 46 41 85 44
Fax : +33 (0)1 76 73 98 57
[email protected]
www.ecac-ceac.org

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DECEMBER 2015

Endorsed by ECAC Directors General of Civil Aviation

I] The role of ECAC

ECAC’s priorities in discharging its role are:

A A pAN-EUROpEAN AvIATION ThINk-TANk

B SUppORT TO ECAC MEMbER STATES fOR

II] ECAC priorities

Through security audits and a wide range of capacity building activities

E AvIATION ANd ECONOMICS

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