The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will open a contact office in Hungary; the agreement on the foundation of the office was signed by Minister for Innovation and Technology László Palkovics and EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky on 8 November 2019 in Budapest.

The memorandum of understanding signed by the Ministry for Innovation and Technology and EASA in July 2019 constituted the basis for the intensification of cooperation between the parties. With the establishment of the Budapest contact office, it will be possible to reinforce the overseeing activities of the domestic transport authority based on international knowledge sharing.

The office will start operating in January 2020 with the involvement of an expert delegated by EASA. Thanks to the agreement, it will be possible to guarantee aviation safety in Hungary at an even higher level.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency comprising 32 Member States was established in 2002, uses the services of some 800 experts, and has permanent representations in the United States, Canada, China and Singapore. The mission of the organisation with an annual budget of around EUR 160 million raised primarily from industry fees is to achieve an ever-higher level of aviation safety and to support aspirations of sustainability in Europe.

(MTI)