Commission signs aviation agreement with Japan

Today, the European Commission and Japan are signing an agreement on civil aviation safety, which will further boost the EU’s already strong cooperation with Japan and reinforce the competitiveness of the EU’s aviation industry.This bilateral civil aviation safety agreement (BASA) will support EU manufacturers of aeronautical products to increase their trade and market share in the Japanese market. The BASA will remove unnecessary duplications of evaluation and testing activities for aeronautical products, decrease costs for authorities and the aviation industry and promote cooperation between the civil aviation authorities of the EU and Japan. Common rules will facilitate the cooperation of European and Japanese companies and decrease the administrative burden for authorities, creating better opportunities for investment and strengthening economic prosperity and growth. Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean said: “This agreement will facilitate our aviation industry’s access to the Japanese aeronautical products market, helping this hard-hit sector recover from the crisis. We are also stepping up cooperation between the EU and Japanese aviation authorities, towards an even higher level of civil aviation safety and environmental compatibility.” The full press release and the agreement will be available online later this afternoon.