What is Confidential Safety Reporting?
Answer
Under Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (hereafter “the Agency”) has in place a system for reporting Confidential Safety Reports (hereafter “CSR” or “CSRs”) to enable individuals to voluntary report to EASA alleged malpractices and irregularities in the field of aviation safety, without having to fear that their action may have adverse consequences for their person.
Confidential safety reporting is an independent system set up by the Agency under Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 (‘Basic Regulation’) to facilitate the collection and exchange of aviation safety related information that is complementary to the standard filing and reporting lines of Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 and of the implementing rules to the Basic Regulation. It enables individuals to voluntary report alleged malpractices and irregularities in the field of aviation safety, without having to fear that their action may have adverse consequences for their person. Confidential Safety Reports (CSRs) can lead to effective detection and follow-up of breaches, irregularities, and malpractices of the EU aviation safety legal framework that otherwise might remain hidden and could cause serious harm to aviation safety. Therefore, information obtained through CSRs is an important source for the detection of potential safety hazards and is also used to make effective improvements in aviation safety taking into account the principles of the safety risk management process.
The CSR system provides a high level of protection to whistle-blowers against any form of retaliation, such as suspension, demotion, or intimidation, when speaking up on aviation safety related irregularities that are of relevance for, or within the competence of, the Agency. A dedicated CSR team at the Agency is specially trained to deal with such reports.