The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) introduced the European Strategic Safety Initiative (ESSI) in April 2006. This initiative succeeded the JAA Safety Strategy Initiative (JSSI). The foundation meeting for ESSI was held on April 27, 2006, with the official handover from JSSI occurring on June 28, 2006. ESSI served as a collaborative effort to improve aviation safety across Europe. Its primary goal was to enhance safety for European citizens both within Europe and globally between 2006 and 2016. This was achieved through careful analysis of safety data, coordination with global safety initiatives, and the execution of cost-effective action plans. ESSI concluded its operations in 2016, with its responsibilities reassigned to various teams under the European Safety Risk Management (SRM) system overseen by EASA. The ESSI website was taken down in 2017, and its resources were moved to the EASA Safety Promotion website (for inquiries, you can contact: [email protected]).
The ESSI was built on three main pillars: the European Commercial Aviation Safety Team (ECAST), which was discontinued in 2016, the European Helicopter Safety Team (EHEST), and the European General Aviation Safety Team (EGAST). The helicopter activities encompassed both commercial and general helicopter operations. According to ESSI’s terms of reference, each team was co-chaired by a regulator and an industry member, ensuring a balanced perspective in promoting safety.
