COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 748/2012
of 3 August 2012
laying down implementing rules for the airworthiness and environmental certification of aircraft and related products, parts and appliances, as well as for the certification of design and production organisations
(recast)
Article 1 Scope and definitions
Regulation (EU) 2020/570
1. This Regulation lays down, in accordance with Article 5(5) and Article 6(3) of Regulation (EC) No 216/2008, common technical requirements and administrative procedures for the airworthiness and environmental certification of products, parts and appliances specifying:
(a) the issue of type-certificates, restricted type-certificates, supplemental type-certificates and changes to those certificates;
(b) the issue of certificates of airworthiness, restricted certificates of airworthiness, permits to fly and authorised release certificates;
(c) the issue of repair design approvals;
(d) the showing of compliance with environmental protection requirements;
(e) the issue of noise certificates;
(f) the identification of products, parts and appliances;
(g) the certification of certain parts and appliances;
(h) the certification of design and production organisations;
(i) the issue of airworthiness directives.
2. For the purpose of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) ‘JAA’ means the ‘Joint Aviation Authorities’;
(b) ‘JAR’ means ‘Joint Aviation Requirements’;
(c) ‘Part 21’ means the requirements and procedures for the certification of aircraft and related products, parts and appliances, and of design and production organisations laid down in Annex I to this Regulation;
(d) [deleted]
(e) ‘principal place of business’ means the head office or registered office of the undertaking within which the principal financial functions and operational control of the activities referred to in this Regulation are exercised;
(f) ‘article’ means any part and appliance to be used on civil aircraft;
(g) ‘ETSO’ means European Technical Standard Order. The European Technical Standard Order is a detailed airworthiness specification issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (the 'Agency') to ensure compliance with the requirements of this Regulation as a minimum performance standard for specified articles;
(h) ‘EPA’ means European Part Approval. European Part Approval of an article means the article has been produced in accordance with approved design data not belonging to the type-certificate holder of the related product, except for ETSO articles;
(i) ‘ELA1 aircraft’ means the following manned European Light Aircraft:
(i) an aeroplane with a Maximum Take-off Mass (MTOM) of 1 200 kg or less that is not classified as complex motor-powered aircraft;
(ii) a sailplane or powered sailplane of 1 200 kg MTOM or less;
(iii) a balloon with a maximum design lifting gas or hot air volume of not more than 3 400 m3 for hot air balloons, 1 050 m3 for gas balloons, 300 m3 for tethered gas balloons;
(iv) an airship designed for not more than 4 occupants and a maximum design lifting gas or hot air volume of not more than 3 400 m3 for hot air airships and 1 000 m3 for gas airships;
(j) ‘ELA2 aircraft’ means the following manned European Light Aircraft:
(i) an aeroplane with a Maximum Take-off Mass (MTOM) of 2 000 kg or less that is not classified as complex motor-powered aircraft;
(ii) a sailplane or powered sailplane of 2 000 kg MTOM or less;
(iii) a balloon;
(iv) a hot air airship;
(v) a gas airship complying with all of the following characteristics:
— 3% maximum static heaviness,
— Non-vectored thrust (except reverse thrust),
— Conventional and simple design of: structure, control system and ballonet system,
— Non-power assisted controls;
(vi) a Very Light Rotorcraft.
(k) “Operational Suitability Data (OSD)” means data, which are part of an aircraft type-certificate, restricted type- certificate or supplemental type-certificate, consisting of all of the following:
(i) the minimum syllabus of pilot type rating training, including determination of type rating;
(ii) the definition of scope of the aircraft validation source data to support the objective qualification of simulators or the provisional data to support their interim qualification;
(iii) the minimum syllabus of maintenance certifying staff type rating training, including determination of type rating;
(iv) determination of type or variant for cabin crew and type specific data for cabin crew;
(v) the master minimum equipment list.
Article 2 Products, parts and appliances certification
Regulation (EU) No 748/2012
1. Products, parts and appliances shall be issued certificates as specified in Annex I (Part 21).
2. By way of derogation from point 1, aircraft, including any installed product, part and appliance, which are not registered in a Member State shall be exempted from the provisions of Subparts H and I of Annex I (Part 21). They shall also be exempted from the provisions of Subpart P of Annex I (Part 21) except when aircraft identification marks are prescribed by a Member State.
Article 3 Continued validity of type-certificates and related certificates of airworthiness
Regulation (EU) No 69/2014
1. With regard to products which had a type-certificate, or a document allowing the issuing of a certificate of airworthiness, issued before 28 September 2003 by a Member State, the following provisions shall apply:
(a) the product shall be deemed to have a type-certificate issued in accordance with this Regulation when:
(i) its type-certification basis was:
— the JAA type-certification basis, for products that have been certificated under JAA procedures, as defined in their JAA data sheet, or
— for other products, the type-certification basis as defined in the type‑certificate data sheet of the State of design, if that State of design was:
— a Member State, unless the Agency determines, taking into account, in particular, certification specifications used and service experience, that such type-certification basis does not provide for a level of safety equivalent to that required by Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 and this Regulation, or
— a State with which a Member State had concluded a bilateral airworthiness agreement or similar arrangement under which such products have been certificated on the basis of the certification specifications of that State of design, unless the Agency determines that such certification specifications or service experience or the safety system of that State of design do not provide for a level of safety equivalent to that required by Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 and this Regulation.
The Agency shall make a first evaluation of the implication of the provisions of the second indent in view of producing an opinion to the Commission including possible amendments to this Regulation;
(ii) the environmental protection requirements were those laid down in Annex 16 to the Chicago Convention, as applicable to the product;
(iii) the applicable airworthiness directives were those of the State of design.
(b) The design of an individual aircraft, which was on the register of a Member State before 28 September 2003, shall be deemed to have been approved in accordance with this Regulation when:
(i) its basic type design was part of a type-certificate referred to in point (a);
(ii) all changes to this basic type design, which were not under the responsibility of the type-certificate holder, had been approved; and
(iii) the airworthiness directives issued or adopted by the Member State of registry before 28 September 2003 were complied with, including any variations to the airworthiness directives of the State of design agreed by the Member State of registry.
2. With regard to products for which a type-certification process was proceeding through the JAA or a Member State on 28 September 2003, the following shall apply:
(a) if a product is under certification by several Member States, the most advanced project shall be used as the reference;
(b) points 21.A.15(a), (b) and (c) of Annex I (Part 21) shall not apply;
(c) by way of derogation from point 21.A.17A of Annex I (Part 21), the type‑certification basis shall be that established by the JAA or, where applicable, the Member State at the date of application for the approval;
(d) compliance findings made under JAA or Member State procedures shall be deemed to have been made by the Agency for the purpose of complying with points 21.A.20(a) and (d) of Annex I (Part 21).
3. With regard to products that have a national type-certificate, or equivalent, and for which the approval process of a change carried out by a Member State was not finalised at the time when the type-certificate had to be in accordance with this Regulation, the following shall apply:
(a) if an approval process is being carried out by several Member States, the most advanced project shall be used as the reference;
(b) point 21.A.93 of Annex I (Part 21) shall not apply;
(c) the applicable type-certification basis shall be that established by the JAA or, where applicable, the Member State at the date of application for the approval of change;
(d) compliance findings made under JAA or Member State procedures shall be deemed to have been made by the Agency for the purpose of complying with points 21.A.103(a)(2) and (b) of Annex I (Part 21).
4. With regard to products that had a national type-certificate, or equivalent, and for which the approval process of a major repair design carried out by a Member State was not finalised at the time when the type-certificate had to be determined in accordance with this Regulation, compliance findings made under JAA or Member State procedures shall be deemed to have been made by the Agency for the purpose of complying with point 21.A.433(a) of Annex I (Part 21).
5. A certificate of airworthiness issued by a Member State attesting conformity with a type‑certificate determined in accordance with point 1 shall be deemed to comply with this Regulation.
Article 4 Continued validity of supplemental type-certificates
Regulation (EU) No 748/2012
1. With regard to supplemental type-certificates issued by a Member State under JAA procedures or applicable national procedures and with regard to changes to products proposed by persons other than the type-certificate holder of the product, which were approved by a Member State under applicable national procedures, if the supplemental type‑certificate, or change, was valid on 28 September 2003, the supplemental type‑certificate, or change shall be deemed to have been issued under this Regulation.
2. With regard to supplemental type-certificates for which a certification process was being carried out by a Member State on 28 September 2003 under applicable JAA supplemental type-certificate procedures and with regard to major changes to products, proposed by persons other than the type-certificate holder of the product, for which a certification process was being carried out by a Member State on 28 September 2003 under applicable national procedures, the following shall apply:
(a) if a certification process was being carried out by several Member States, the most advanced project shall be used as the reference;
(b) point 21.A.113 (a) and (b) of Annex I (Part 21) shall not apply;
(c) the applicable certification basis shall be that established by the JAA or, where applicable, the Member State at the date of application for the supplemental type‑certificate or the major change approval;
(d) the compliance findings made under JAA or Member State procedures shall be deemed to have been made by the Agency for the purpose of complying with point 21.A.115(a) of Annex I (Part 21).
Article 6 Continued validity of parts and appliances certificates
Regulation (EU) No 748/2012
1. Approvals of parts and appliances issued by a Member State and valid on 28 September 2003 shall be deemed to have been issued in accordance with this Regulation.
2. With regard to parts and appliances for which an approval or authorisation process was being carried out by a Member State on 28 September 2003, the following shall apply:
(a) if an authorisation process was being carried out by several Member States, the most advanced project shall be used as the reference;
(b) point 21.A.603 of Annex I (Part 21) shall not apply;
(c) the applicable data requirements laid down in point 21.A.605 of Annex I (Part 21) shall be those established by the relevant Member State, at the date of application for the approval or authorisation;
(d) compliance findings made by the relevant Member State shall be deemed to have been made by the Agency for the purpose of complying with point 21.A.606(b) of Annex I (Part 21).
Regulation (EU) No 748/2012
The conditions determined before 28 March 2007 by the Member States for permits to fly or other airworthiness certificate issued for aircraft which did not hold a certificate of airworthiness or restricted certificate of airworthiness issued under this Regulation, are deemed to have been determined in accordance with this Regulation, unless the Agency has determined before 28 March 2008 that such conditions do not provide for a level of safety equivalent to that required by Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 or this Regulation.
Article 7a Operational suitability data
Regulation (EU) No 69/2014
1. The holder of an aircraft type-certificate issued before 17 February 2014 intending to deliver a new aircraft to an EU operator on or after 17 February 2014 shall obtain approval in accordance with point 21.A.21(e) of Annex I (Part 21) except for the minimum syllabus of maintenance certifying staff type rating training and except for aircraft validation source data to support the objective qualification of simulator(s). The approval shall be obtained not later than 18 December 2015 or before the aircraft is operated by an EU operator, whichever is the latest. The operational suitability data may be limited to the model which is delivered.
2. The applicant for an aircraft type-certificate for which the application was filed before 17 February 2014 and for which a type-certificate is not issued before 17 February 2014 shall obtain approval in accordance with point 21.A.21(e) of Annex I (Part 21) except for the minimum syllabus of maintenance certifying staff type rating training and for aircraft validation source data to support the objective qualification of simulator(s). The approval shall be obtained not later than 18 December 2015 or before the aircraft is operated by an EU operator, whichever is the latest. Compliance findings made by the authorities in Operational Evaluation Board processes conducted under the responsibility of the JAA or the Agency before the entry into force of this Regulation shall be accepted by the Agency without further verification.
3. Operational Evaluation Board reports and master minimum equipment lists issued in accordance with JAA procedures or by the Agency before the entry into force of this Regulation shall be deemed to constitute the operational suitability data approved in accordance with point 21.A.21(e) of Annex I (Part 21) and shall be included in the relevant type-certificate. Before 18 June 2014 the relevant type-certificate holders shall propose the Agency a division of the operational suitability data in mandatory data and non-mandatory data.
4. Holders of a type-certificate including operational suitability data shall be required to obtain approval of an extension of the scope of their design organisation approval or procedures alternative to design organisation approval, as applicable, to include operational suitability aspects before 18 December 2015.
Article 8 Design organisations
Regulation (EU) 2022/201
1. An organisation responsible for the design of products, parts and appliances or for changes or repairs thereto shall demonstrate its capability in accordance with Annex I (Part 21).
2. By way of derogation from point 1, an organisation whose principal place of business is in a non-member State may demonstrate its capability by holding a certificate issued by that State for the product, part and appliance for which it applies, provided:
(a) that State is the State of design; and
(b) the Agency has determined that the system of that State includes the same independent level of checking of compliance as provided by this Regulation, either through an equivalent system of approvals of organisations or through direct involvement of the competent authority of that State.
3. Design organisation approvals issued or recognised by a Member State in accordance with the JAA requirements and procedures and valid before 28 September 2003 shall be deemed to comply with this Regulation.
4. By way of derogation from points 21.B.433(d)(1) and (2) of Annex I (Part 21), a design organisation that holds a valid approval certificate issued in accordance with Annex I (Part 21) may correct, until 7 March 2025, any findings of non-compliance related to the Annex I requirements introduced by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2014Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/201 of 10 December 2021 amending Regulation (EU) No 748/2012 as regards management systems and occurrence-reporting systems to be established by design and production organisations, as well as procedures applied by the Agency, and correcting that Regulation (OJ L 33, …, p. 7).
Where after 7 March 2025, the organisation has not closed such findings, the approval certificate shall be revoked, limited or suspended in whole or in part.
Article 9 Production organisations
Regulation (EU) 2022/1253
1. An organisation responsible for the manufacture of products, parts and appliances shall demonstrate its capability in accordance with the provisions of Annex I (Part 21). This demonstration of capability is not required for the parts or appliances that an organisation manufactures which, in accordance with the provisions of Annex I (Part 21), are eligible for installation in a type-certified product without the need to be accompanied by an authorised release certificate (i.e. EASA Form 1).
2. By way of derogation from point 1, a manufacturer whose principal place of business is in a non-member State may demonstrate its capability by holding a certificate issued by that State for the product, part and appliance for which it applies, provided:
(a) that State is the State of manufacture; and
(b) the Agency has determined that the system of that State includes the same independent level of checking of compliance as provided by this Regulation, either through an equivalent system of approvals of organisations or through direct involvement of the competent authority of that State.
3. Production organisation approvals issued or recognised by a Member State in accordance with the JAA requirements and procedures and valid before 28 September 2003 shall be deemed to comply with this Regulation.
4. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the production organisation may apply to the competent authority for exemptions from the environmental protection requirements referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 9(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139.
5. By way of derogation from points 21.B.225(d)(1) and (2) of Annex I (Part 21), a production organisation that holds a valid approval certificate issued in accordance with Annex I (Part 21) may correct, until 7 March 2025, any findings of non-compliance related to the Annex I requirements introduced by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2015Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/201 of 10 December 2021 amending Regulation (EU) No 748/2012 as regards management systems and occurrence-reporting systems to be established by design and production organisations, as well as procedures applied by the Agency, and correcting that Regulation (OJ L 33, 15.2.2022, p. 7)..
Where after 7 March 2025 the organisation has not closed those findings, the approval certificate shall be revoked, limited or suspended in whole or in part.
6. By way of derogation from point 21.A.125C(a)(1) of Annex I (Part 21), an organisation that produces products, parts or appliances without an approval certificate and that holds a valid letter of agreement issued on or before 7 March 2023 in accordance with Annex I (Part 21) shall not be required to comply with the relevant Annex I requirements introduced by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/201.
Regulation (EU) No 748/2012
1. The Agency shall develop acceptable means of compliance (hereinafter called "AMC") that competent authorities, organisations and personnel may use to demonstrate compliance with the provisions of the Annex I (Part 21) to this Regulation.
2. The AMC issued by the Agency shall neither introduce new requirements nor alleviate the requirements of the Annex I (Part 21) to this Regulation.
3. Without prejudice to Articles 54 and 55 of Regulation (EC) No 216/2008, when the acceptable means of compliance issued by the Agency are used, the related requirements of the Annex I (Part 21) to this Regulation shall be considered as met without further demonstration.
Regulation (EU) No 748/2012
Regulation (EC) No 1702/2003 is repealed.
References to the repealed Regulation shall be construed as references to this Regulation and shall be read in accordance with the correlation table in Annex III.
Regulation (EU) No 748/2012
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.