The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) with regulatory and executive tasks in the field of civilian aviation safety.
EASA is based in Cologne, Germany. In 2008 it took over the functions of its predecessor, the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA). All European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries have been granted participation in the agency and its processes. EASA claims its legislative process is open to the public. But consumer organizations are not always participating in the regulatory meetings and proceedings.
The responsibilities of EASA include to analysis and research of safety, authorising foreign operators, giving advice for the drafting of EU legislation, implementing and monitoring safety rules (including inspections and audits in the member states), giving type-certification of aircraft and components as well as the approval of organisations involved in the design, manufacture and maintenance of aeronautical products.
In 2012 the European Court of Auditors found that EASA did not have an agency specific conflict of interest policy and procedures. EASA does not obtain or assess the declarations of interest for staff, Management Board, Board of appeal and experts.
Its director, Patrick Ky, told ARD German Television in 2014 that he does not consider contaminated cabin air to be problem for the safety nor health of crew and passengers. The agency claimed that reports of fume/smell events would only have been reported from Germany (which is not true). Also the agency believes that occupational limit values for compounds are not exceeded. This is also not correct, as these standards do not apply for aircraft. Specially given the fact that on board there could be also elderly persons with certain preconditions, young children and babies or pregnant women puts such statements into a different perspective.
In 2014 EASA awarded a tender for cabin air sampling and analysis to the MHH Hannover (Wolfgang Rosenberger) and Fraunhofer Institute. The results are expected in Autumn 2016.
EASA declined all requests for an interview on camera by Tim van Beveren.