EASA Releases 2025 Aviation Safety Plan

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has released the 2025 edition of the European Plan for Aviation Safety (EPAS). This roadmap outlines strategic priorities for aviation safety and environmental protection within EASA Member States, reinforcing safety management at regional, State, and industry levels.

Based on the ‘Strategic Priorities’ (Volume I) for the reference period 2023 – 2025, the 2025 edition of EPAS contains updated ‘EPAS Actions’ (Volume II) and updated ‘Safety Risk Portfolios’ (Volume III).

EPAS Volume III ‘Safety Risk Portfolios’ provides the updated overview of the safety issues affecting the European aviation system. They were reviewed and reassessed through the annual Safety Risk Management cycle in collaboration with safety partners from national aviation authorities and the industry. There are altogether 211 safety issues in the 2025 edition, with identified 20 higher-risk safety issues, containing 8 new safety issues.

Volume II ‘EPAS Actions’ presents the updated plan of the ongoing and new tasks. Following completion of 15 actions in 2024, it contains 150 actions, 6 of which are new. The plan includes updated rulemaking timelines resulting from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) review of the entirety of the rulemaking programme aimed at enhancing the focus on safety priorities and adjusting the planning to the existing resources. Following a consultation with the Advisory Bodies, EASA maintained the number of the ongoing rulemaking tasks in this year’s edition. The planning of these actions delivers on the strategic priorities for the reference period 2023-2025, however it sets the plan for 2025 and beyond.

Some of the key tasks include: to update the regulatory framework for the protection of aerodrome surroundings, to introduce noise requirements for VTOL capable aircraft, to include the design requirement for a continued integrity verification programme in the certification specification for helicopters, and more.

EASA intends to review its strategic priorities later in 2025 to prepare the next EPAS edition for the 2026–2028 reference period. The 2025 EPAS is available on EASA's  website.