1 February 2011 - In October 2010 the European Commission adopted a proposal for a Regulation on the investigation and prevention of accidents and incidents in civil aviation. The proposed regulation aims to create a modern regulatory framework for air accident investigation. Ecorys supported the European Commission in its policy development towards the Regulation.

The central issue of this proposal is the establishment of a European Network of Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authorities. It will coordinate and strengthen cooperation between the Member States, the Commission and EASA, and implement a number of central functions, such as coordinating training activities or sharing investigation resources available in the EU.

The measures proposed will clarify the role of all parties involved, better protect important safety information, as well as guarantee the independence of investigations. Furthermore, the proposal aims at strengthening the implementation of safety recommendations. It will require that every recommendation resulting from an investigation is assessed and acted upon if justified. The establishment of a European database of safety recommendations is also proposed. The Regulation will also strengthen the rights of victims of air accidents through common rules requiring the provision of rapid and organised assistance in the case of an accident. Victims and their families will be guaranteed the right to reliable information about the progress of an ongoing investigation.

Ecorys supported the European Commission in its policy development towards the Regulation. We carried out a supporting study into the impacts of the revised regulatory framework, in co-operation with NLR-ATSI. We carried out an extensive stakeholder consultation by means of interviews and a questionnaire. This work laid the foundation for the Commission’s impact assessment of the Regulation and illustrates our wealth of experience in policy evaluation studies, amongst other in the area of air transport and aviation safety, such as a study into the extension of EASA competences.

For more information, please contact
Robert Piers
T +31 10 453 86 06
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