European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) launched the European Strategic Safety Initiative (ESSI) in April 2006 as the successor to the JAA Safety Strategy Initiative JAA Safety Strategy Initiative (JSSI). The ESSI foundation meeting took place on 27 April 2006, and the JSSI-ESSI handover was performed on 28 June 2006.

The ESSI was an aviation safety partnership in Europe. Its objective to further enhance safety in Europe and for the European citizen worldwide in 2006-2016, through analysis of safety data, coordination with safety initiatives worldwide, and the implementation of cost effective action plans.

ESSI closed in 2016 and its roles and functions were reallocated to the various teams and bodies involved in the European Safety Risk Management (SRM) system managed by EASA.

The ESSI website closed in 2017 and deliverables were transferred to the EASA Safety Promotion website (contact: [email protected]).

ESSI Safety Teams

The ESSI used to have three pillars: the European Commercial Aviation Safety Team (ECAST) (ECAST) (ECAST was discontinued in 2016), the European Helicopter Safety Team (EHEST), and the European General Aviation Safety Team (EGAST). The helicopter activity includes commercial and general helicopter operations. The ESSI terms of reference state that each ESSI team shall be co-chaired by a regulator and an industry member.

Further Reading

• EASA Safety Promotion website
• European Aviation Safety Plan (EPAS)
• Safety Promotion Network (SPN)
• European Safety Promotion Network Rotorcraft (ESPN-R)
• European Operators Flight Data Monitoring Forum (EOFDM)
• European Authorities Coordination Group on Flight Data Monitoring (EAFDM)
• General Aviation (GA) Road Map
• EASA Advisory Bodies