What are the main tasks in the HAO project?
Answer
In line with the mandate received from the European Commission to develop draft regulations for Higher Airspace Operations, the project is organised around four main tasks that support a structured and evidence-based regulatory process.
Task 1: Awareness, guidance, and stakeholder engagement aims to ensure a shared understanding of Higher Airspace Operations across Member States, industry, and other stakeholders, and to support early alignment on concepts, challenges, and regulatory expectations relevant to future rulemaking.
Task 2: Scientific studies provide the technical and analytical basis for regulation, covering safety, security, environmental, and operational aspects. The results of these studies support the identification of risks, the assessment of regulatory needs, and the definition of proportionate safety and security objectives.
Task 3: Regulatory preparation and development of a Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) focuses on translating the evidence and analysis into concrete regulatory proposals. This includes clarifying the applicability of existing aviation rules, identifying regulatory gaps, and preparing draft regulatory material for consultation in accordance with the Commission mandate.
Task 4: Project and administrative management ensure effective governance, coordination, and delivery of the project, including alignment with the Commission mandate, internal EASA processes, and reporting obligations.
Together, these tasks ensure that the mandate to develop draft regulations for Higher Airspace Operations is addressed in a coherent, transparent, and proportionate manner.