A new Civil Aviation Authority will be established in Finland. The agency will consist of the Flight Safety Authority and Air Transport Authority, which are now operating as regulatory units under the Finnish Civil Aviation Administration. The new arrangement will be introduced in the beginning of next year. The new authority will be located at Vantaa.
On 16 September, the Finnish Government introduced a proposal to the Parliament, stating that the new Civil Aviation Authority should take charge of issuing flight safety regulations and instructions, and assume other regulatory duties in aviation. The establishment of a new Authority was made necessary by changes in the Finnish Constitution and State Enterprise Act.
According to the Government proposal, the costs for the establishment and operation of the new authority should be partly covered by a tax-like charge for the supervision of air traffic. This charge would be imposed upon airport operators to enhance flight safety and make the supervision of aviation more efficient. Part of the Civil Aviation Authority’s funding would come from the fees collected for its services. The Finnish Civil Aviation Administration, however, will continue as a state enterprise. It will provide air navigation services in Finland and maintain state-owned airports also in the future.
The exact schedule and funding for the establishment of the new Civil Aviation Authority have not been confirmed for the time being.
The establishment of the new aviation authority is a part of a larger renewal of the Finnish aviation legislation. The Government will also introduce to the Parliament a proposal for a new Aviation Act. The Aviation Act regulates aviation in Finland, and it also governs Finnish aircraft operating abroad. Renewal of the Act became necessary because of rapid technological development in the field of aviation. Moreover, the proposal includes several provisions on implementation of international directives and recommendations. A new feature in the Aviation Act is that it implements the EU directives concerning the safety of third-country aircraft.
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