GM1 CAMO.B.300(g) Oversight principles

COOPERATION BETWEEN COMPETENT AUTHORITIES

When a contract is concluded between a CAMO and an operator in accordance with point M.A.201(ea), which may occur during an initial CAMO application or an application for a change (requiring prior approval), the competent authorities of the CAMO and of the operator need to cooperate.

This cooperation between the different competent authorities may be established through a cooperative oversight agreement. That agreement will focus on the information that is relevant for performing the competent authority’s tasks, and be proportional to the nature and complexity of the organisations’ activities. It will cover at least the following aspects:

(a) General information

(1) Scope of the cooperation and identification of the operator (or operators if the competent authorities agree to include in a single agreement several operators that use the same CAMO) and the CAMO.

(2) Nomination of focal points in each competent authority; changing the focal points does not imply a full revision of the cooperation agreement.

(3) Meetings held between the competent authorities to ensure that all remain informed of significant issues.

(4) Provisions for the resolution of conflicts or disagreements.

(b) Oversight

(1) Sharing of the oversight programme that is implemented by each competent authority (e.g. audit plan and audit programme especially regarding the oversight of the management system), including the competent authorities’ assessment of the complexity of the organisations’ activities.

(2) Sharing of the management system assessment approach that is used by each competent authority (refer also to GM2 CAMO.B.300(g)).

(3) Sharing of the results of the management system assessments.

(4) Performance of oversight tasks on the CAMO by the competent authorities responsible for the operator, on behalf of the competent authority of the CAMO, if such arrangement exists.

(5) Participation of inspectors from one competent authority as observers during the performance of oversight tasks by another competent authority, or joint audits/assessments by different competent authorities.

(6) Specific support, if needed, to assist in the inclusion of an aircraft into the AOC, when transferred from one AOC holder to another within the group.

(7) Sharing of information on how the CAMO and operator manage their tasks, to adapt oversight accordingly, such as, but not limited to, the following:

(i) the selection of aircraft subject to product audits as part of the oversight of the CAMO may consider information that comes from the competent authorities of the operator(s), which is provided to the competent authority of the CAMO;

(ii) information on the use and completion of the aircraft technical log system or on the use of the minimum equipment list (MEL) by the operator, which is reported by the competent authority of the CAMO to the competent authority of the relevant operator, may be considered in the operator’s oversight programme;

(iii) sharing of information on the interfaces between the operator(s) and the CAMO regarding the assessment of non-mandatory modifications and/or inspections and the decision on their application as per point CAMO.A.315(b)(4); and

(iv) sharing of information on the system in place between the operator(s) and the CAMO to ensure that pre-flight inspections are properly accomplished.

(c) Additional cooperation provisions

(1) Sharing of information between competent authorities, as well as methods and timing for that sharing, e.g. the result of the assessment of the management system is shared every time the assessment is conducted by one of the competent authorities.

(2) A cooperation mechanism to ensure prompt reaction if one of the competent authorities shares serious concerns about the organisation with another competent authority.

(3) Information to be provided to the competent authority of the operator before integrating an aircraft to the AOC.

(4) Sharing of information between competent authorities before granting any specific approval (e.g. Part-SPA, AMC 20-6, etc.).

(5) Sharing of the relevant operator’s and CAMO’s occurrence reports as well as of the procedures in place between relevant competent authorities to ensure coordinated follow-up and resolution, where applicable.

(6) Sharing of changes in the exposition and manuals when those changes impact harmonised procedures.