About the EU-Japan APP

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 TO ENHANCE THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND JAPAN IN THE CIVIL AVIATION DOMAIN

 

1. Project Background

 

The European aviation industry supports 5.1 million jobs and contributes to 2.4% of the European GDP. It is one of the main drivers for R&D and for generating employment in Europe. Exports generate roughly 60% of its revenue. For this key sector of the European economy, the rapidly growing East Asian market for aviation services and products is of strategic importance. According to industry forecasts, East Asia is expected to be the largest growing domestic aviation market for at least the next 20 years. Japan has an aviation industry of similar proportional size to its economy like Europe and a mature stage of development, which presents a good base for expanding cooperation initiatives between European and Japanese authorities as well as industry partners.

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On 20 June 2023, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) on the implementation of the EU-Japan Aviation Partnership Project (EU-Japan APP) and a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC). This landmark agreement aims to enhance safety, promote regulatory harmonisation, and foster mutual cooperation between the European Union and Japan in the aviation sector.

 

The EU-Japan Aviation Partnership Project (EU-Japan APP) is aimed at developing a mutually beneficial partnership.

 

2. Project objective

 

The EU-Japan APP facilitates closer cooperation between the EU and Japan at an official, authorities and industry levels. This is reflected in the project’s objective of enhancing the partnership between the EU and Japan in the civil aviation domain. The project incorporates the idea of a close cooperation between EASA and various European stakeholders to bring best European aviation expertise to the project. Likewise on the Japan side, the project will interact with Japanese stakeholders coordinated by JCAB.

 

3. Component areas

 

The European and Japanese aviation authorities, EASA and JCAB, directly implement activities together, in close cooperation with their partners. The approach of cooperation for this project will focus on activities of mutual interest. In particular, the scope of activities is currently planned to cover, but is not limited to:

 

• Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), UAS Traffic Management (UTM) and Urban Air Mobility (UAM)

• Sustainable Aviation

• Aviation Safety

• Airworthiness

• Flight Standards

• Aerodrome Operations

 

4. Project Key Stakeholders:

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• EASA

• JCAB

• European Commission

• EU Member States aviation authorities

• Manufacturing industry

• Airlines, etc.

 

Other aviation industry stakeholders are welcome and encouraged to take an active part in the project.