The FAA and the European Union recently signed an agreement that is intended to reduce fees and eliminate duplication of paperwork for U.S. aviation products being certified in Europe and European aviation products seeking certification in the U.S. The pact involves two separate decisions.
The first decision enables reductions of European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) fees for validation of U.S. aerospace products. This decision covers simple design modifications and basic STCs. Fee reductions will take effect 30 days from signing. The second decision removes country-specific limitations associated with aeronautical products and parts eligible for import into the U.S. This amendment treats all EU member states equally under the agreement and recognizes EASA’s oversight and standardization processes throughout their jurisdiction.
The latter decision complements an FAA notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would revise the regulation that currently imposes a duplicative paperwork requirement on foreign applicants for original type certificates and STCs of import products.
Since 2009, the FAA has required a foreign applicant for a type certificate to show and certify compliance with all applicable requirements by submitting to the FAA two different compliance documents by the country or jurisdiction having responsibility for the design approval holder of the product. Under the NPRM, the agency would accept either the compliance listing or an accompanying statement of compliance from the foreign applicant.