ICAO, EASA, DGAC: who sets the rules for air transport?

Layers by design

Air transport is one of the most heavily regulated economic activities in the world. For a French passenger or airline, three levels of authority overlap: a global level, led by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); a European level, where the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) plays a central role; and a national level, provided by France's Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC). These levels do not compete: each builds on the one above.

ICAO, the global reference

ICAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations. It stems from the Convention on International Civil Aviation, concluded in Chicago on 7 December 1944, and has officially existed since 4 April 1947. Its headquarters are in Montreal.

ICAO does not issue licences or certificates to airlines. Its role is to develop, together with its Member States, Standards and Recommended Practices, grouped in annexes to the Convention: personnel licensing, rules of the air, operation of aircraft, airworthiness, accident investigation, security and environmental protection, among others. States undertake to transpose them into national law and must notify any differences. ICAO also carries out oversight audits to check that States are able to enforce these rules.

EASA, the European pivot

Within the European Union, a large share of safety regulation has been harmonised. The current basic text is Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018, which lays down common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishes the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. The agency is based in Cologne, Germany.

Its main tasks are:

• certification: EASA issues type certificates for aircraft, helicopters, engines and propellers designed in Europe and validates those of foreign products;
• rulemaking: it prepares detailed technical rules, issues opinions to the European Commission and adopts acceptable means of compliance and guidance material;
• oversight of national authorities: through standardisation inspections, it checks that Member States apply the rules consistently.

It is within this European framework, for example, that the requirements for maintenance organisations, training organisations and commercial air operations are defined.

DGAC, the day-to-day authority

In France, the DGAC, which reports to the ministry responsible for transport, applies these rules and carries out oversight close to the ground. According to the ministry's official presentation, its tasks include:

• safety and security: oversight of airlines, organisations and flight crew, in particular through the regional civil aviation safety directorates (DSAC);
• air navigation: providing air traffic services to airlines and general aviation from en-route centres and control towers;
• economic regulation: the DGAC is the point of contact for airlines, airports and their customers;
• environment: reducing noise and pollution and maintaining dialogue with local residents;
• training: the French civil aviation university (ENAC) provides initial and continuing training for many professionals.

The DGAC also represents France in European and international bodies, where it helps shape future standards.

How a rule travels

The typical path is as follows. A new standard is adopted at ICAO. The European Union incorporates it into its regulations, often after technical work by EASA and a decision by the European Commission. The DGAC then applies the rule to French operators and checks compliance, while EASA verifies that France, like other Member States, is fulfilling its role.

This system explains why an aircraft certified in Europe, or an engineer or pilot trained under European rules, can work in every Member State. It also explains why some changes seem slow: a regulatory amendment must pass through several stages before it applies on the ground.