By Tim Hepher and Joanna Plucinska
COLOGNE, March 27 (Reuters) – Europe’s top aviation regulator signalled improved relations with the U.S. FAA and said Boeing was responding “in the appropriate manner” to regulatory scrutiny, suggesting recent transatlantic tensions over aviation safety have eased.
Relations between the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration soured after fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 were linked to flawed software and poor oversight, prompting EASA to take a closer look at Boeing designs.
“Very honestly and transparently, I think it has improved quite a lot. We are working now as trustful partners,” EASA Executive Director Florian Guillermet said in an interview.
“We are in a phase where we are trusting the FAA to do the right things, and I have no indication today that they are not taking care of their homework and that Boeing … is not reacting appropriately,” he said.
“We do see that the FAA is taking care of what they should be taking care of, and that Boeing is reacting to that in the appropriate manner,” he said, adding that his remarks referred to both aircraft certification and production issues.
EASA is the lead regulator for Airbus jets and one of several major agencies that certify domestic aircraft while recognising each other’s decisions through bilateral agreements, though they can ask detailed questions.
The international system of mutual recognition came under strain in January when U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to decertify Canadian business jets and impose extra tariffs unless Canada approved a number of U.S. models.
Guillermet declined to comment directly on the dispute but said the overall certification system should remain free of interference.
“It is a technical job that has to remain a technical job,” he said.
(Reporting by Joanna Plucinska, Tim Hepher. Editing by Mark Potter)
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