Revision of the EU framework governing the technical investigation of aircraft accidents looks set to be wrapped up soon. It will result in the replacement of Directive 94/56/EC by a new regulation, one aim of which will be to give greater account to victims and their families. The negotiations of the last few weeks have led to a first-reading compromise between the Council of Ministers and EP rapporteur Christine de Veyrac (EPP, France). On 2 September, the rapporteur presented the compromise to the EP’s Committee on Transport (TRAN), which expressed unanimous support. The final vote is scheduled for the plenary session, on 20-23 September. The Council has already confirmed in a letter its support for the compromise.

The new regulation will enhance cooperation between member state authorities in charge of technical investigations of aircraft accidents through the creation of a European network of investigation officials. The idea is to share the expertise developed by certain member states in this area, a way of “being more active on accident prevention,” a representative of the European Commission, which supports the compromise, told the TRAN committee.

The provisions on victims and their families will oblige airlines to present a complete list of passengers within two hours following an accident. This list will be used to contact passengers’ relatives. The compromise also obliges all the member states to put in place an assistance plan for victims and their families and the airlines must adopt similar crisis plans. When booking a seat, passengers will be able to give the name of a person to contact in case of accident and the states will appoint a contact person in charge of liaison with the families of victims.

The Council agreed to revise its position on limits on the scope of the text. As a result, the investigation obligation will not be limited to accidents involving the largest aircraft. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will be authorised to take part in the investigations as an adviser.

On the extremely sensitive point of the link between technical investigations (the subject of the regulation) and judicial investigations (to determine liability), de Veyrac assured that the compromise guarantees “the total confidentiality of the information given to investigators by pilots”. This was an insistent demand by the European Cockpit Association (ECA).

The compromise also deletes the provisions of the draft text on delegated acts, which means that subsequent modifications of the regulation will be based on co-decision.

The new regulation will enhance cooperation between member state authorities through the creation of a network of investigation officials