Sunday 18.07.2004, CET 01:52



Swiss to pilot European aviation authorities

swissinfo July 17, 2004 5:17 PM




André Auer will head the European Joint Aviation Authorities
A controversial former Swiss government official is to take over at the helm of Europe's Joint Aviation Authorities.



André Auer stepped down last August as head of Switzerland's civil aviation office amid accusations that he had failed to arrest a decline in safety standards.


Civil aviation office unveils sweeping reforms
US to probe Swiss civil aviation security




Auer said he would take up his new position at the European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) at the beginning of November.

His main task as chief executive will be to ensure the smooth transition of the JAA into a new European Aviation Safety Agency.

The JAA represents the civil aviation regulatory authorities of a number of European states which have agreed to cooperate in developing and implementing common safety standards.

The JAA headquarters in the Netherlands employed 61 members of staff and had a budget of around €6.7 million (SFr10.2 million) last year.

Sacked

Auer stepped down as head of Switzerland's Federal Office for Civil Aviation (FOCA) last August amid a controversy about aviation safety standards and regulations.

Three months ago the Swiss cabinet formally terminated Auer's contract, after failing to find him new employment within the federal administration.

It also denied Auer, who had worked for the government for 28 years, a severance payment to the tune of twice his annual salary.

Auer has appealed against the decision and a ruling is expected before the end of the year.

The former head of the FOCA said his appointment to the JAA did not mean he would withdraw his appeal.

Sweeping reforms

The Swiss authorities recently announced a radical shake-up in the structure of the FOCA.

Raymond Cron took over from Auer as head of the FOCA in May. The office is reviewing Switzerland's national air safety policy and will reorganise its internal structures.

Reform of the office comes in the wake of an independent report in 2003 by a Dutch institute, which concluded that safety levels in Switzerland were in decline at the same time as they were improving in other parts of Europe.

Switzerland's civil aviation has been hit by three plane crashes over the past four years, including a mid-air collision near Lake Constance in 2002.

swissinfo with agencies

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=111&sid=5090956

See this related thread:

https://forums.swissair111.org/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=384006716&f=322103945&m=657104945

quote:

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Switzerland's civil aviation has been hit by three plane crashes over the past four years, including a mid-air collision near Lake Constance in 2002.

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Actually that was 4 plane crashes over the past 5 and a half years.