Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/23 of 19 December 2024 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council, as regards requirements for the oversight of ground handling services and organisations providing them
Date: 2024-12-19
Institutions: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission
Subjects: air safety, air traffic, aircraft, civil aviation, ground handling, ground staff, operation of the Institutions, provision of services




L_202500023EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/23


7.3.2025







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2025/23
of 19 December 2024
         
laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council, as regards requirements for the oversight of ground handling services and organisations providing them
(Text with EEA relevance)


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Aviation Safety Agency, and amending Regulations (EC) No 2111/2005, (EC) No 1008/2008, (EU) No 996/2010, (EU) No 376/2014 and Directives 2014/30/EU and 2014/53/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 552/2004 and (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (EEC) No 3922/91 (1), and in particular Article 62(14) point (d), Article 62(15) points (a), (b) and (c), and Article 72(5) thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 establishes the essential requirements for the safe provision of ground handling services and organisations providing them at aerodromes within the scope of that Regulation, as well as provisions for oversight by national competent authorities of those organisations and the ground handling services provided at the Union aerodromes within the scope of that Regulation.












(2)


To ensure a high level of civil aviation safety in the Union, and in line with the principle of subsidiarity, this Regulation should reflect the state of the art and best practices in the field of ground handling. It should also take into account the applicable International Civil Aviation Organization Standards and Recommended Practices and worldwide ground handling operation experience, as well as scientific and technical progress in the ground handling domain. Furthermore, in order to ensure an adequate amount of oversight of organisations providing ground handling services, the rules laid down in this Regulations should be proportionate, adjusted to the safety risk of ground handling activities and safety performance of the ground handling organisations and should provide for the necessary flexibility for customised compliance.












(3)


The requirements laid down in this Regulation should ensure that Member States conduct a harmonised and consistent oversight of organisations providing ground handling services at Union aerodromes. Therefore, this Regulation should provide the framework for the development and implementation by competent authorities of a management system to encompass the necessary processes, training and qualification of personnel, and procedures for oversight and particularly cooperative oversight of ground handling organisations.












(4)


To ensure that the oversight of declaring ground handling organisations is performed in a competent and correct manner and that the results of oversight are properly utilised to improve the safety of the overseen organisations, national competent authorities should ensure that the inspectors conducting oversight are adequately trained and qualified, and have appropriate skills and experience to assess the safety performance of the ground handling organisations under their oversight responsibilities.












(5)


To enable efficient use of resources of competent authorities when performing oversight and encourage the harmonisation of ground handling operational processes and procedures by the voluntary use of industry standards, this Regulation should enable Member States to assess together the compliance of the industry standards with Annexes I and II to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 (2).












(6)


The oversight activities covering the verification of compliance of ground handling organisations with all the applicable requirements and in accordance with the declaration submitted should be applied in a consistent manner and spanning over the period established in this Regulation. To achieve this, competent authorities should develop and implement an oversight programme to ensure the scope of the oversight is fully covered as planned.












(7)


To ensure the implementation of a risk-based oversight, the oversight programme should be partly based on safety data collected from ground handling organisations, which would support competent authorities in having a complete picture of the level of safety for each ground handling organisation subject to oversight. The safety reports should ensure reliable and sufficient information to enable accurate safety analysis.












(8)


To ensure that the reporting obligations of ground handling organisations contribute to the improvement of safety in ground handling operations, this Regulation should establish a framework for competent authorities to provide direct and consistent feedback on the reported ground handling events directly to the ground handling organisations and this should be enabled, among others, through the oversight process.












(9)


Regulatory measures should prioritise cooperation between national competent authorities in overseeing organisations providing ground handling services at aerodromes located in more than one Member State, to improve resource utilisation and avoid duplication of work and oversight. The national competent authorities involved in the oversight of organisations providing ground handling services at aerodromes located in more than one Member State should share the information necessary for an efficient and harmonised oversight. Good coordination of the entire process and sharing of oversight tasks between the Member States concerned are crucial in ensuring an efficient cooperative oversight. In this sense, national competent authorities involved in the cooperative oversight process should rely on clear rules defining their tasks and have the right tools so that they can share among themselves the results of the oversight activities performed at the aerodromes under their oversight and at the ground handling organisation’s principal place of business, from where it exercises control and applies the management system across all its stations.












(10)


The measures provided for in this Regulation are based on Opinion No 01/2024 (3) issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (‘the Agency’) in accordance with Article 75(2), points (b) and (c), and Article 76(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139.












(11)


It is necessary to provide sufficient time for the competent authorities to implement the new regulatory framework after the entry into force of this Regulation. Therefore, the application of this Regulation should be deferred to 27 March 2028.












(12)


The requirements laid down in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for the application of common safety rules in the field of civil aviation established by Article 127 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1

Subject matter

This Regulation lays down detailed rules on the allocation of responsibilities of national competent authorities responsible for the oversight of ground handling services and organisations providing such services, rules on exchange of information, qualification of personnel and administration and management systems of those competent authorities.


Article 2

Definitions

For the purpose of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:






(1)


‘cooperative oversight’ means a coordinated oversight process that involves more than one competent authority to oversee an organisation providing ground handling services at aerodromes that are under the jurisdiction of more than one competent authority or in more than one Member State; whereas the competent authorities determine their individual tasks, share relevant data and information for the oversight, promote cooperation to ensure a uniform oversight and efficient use of resources by, inter alia, avoiding duplications of tasks, audits and inspections;










(2)


‘audit’ means a systematic, independent and documented process for obtaining evidence and evaluating it objectively to determine the extent to which requirements are complied with; whereas audits may include inspections;










(3)


‘inspection’ means, in the context of compliance monitoring and oversight, an independent and documented conformity evaluation by observation and judgement accompanied, as appropriate, by measurements, testing or gauging, in order to verify compliance with applicable requirements; whereas an inspection may be part of an audit, but may also be conducted outside the normal audit plan, in particular, to verify the closure of a certain finding.






Article 3

Main obligations of the Member States


1.   Each Member State shall designate one or more competent authorities within that Member State, with the necessary powers and responsibilities for the oversight and enforcement tasks regarding ground handling organisations operating at the aerodromes within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139.


2.   The national competent authorities shall have the following obligations, which are detailed further in the Annex to this Regulation:






(a)


to receive declarations from organisations that perform ground handling services at the aerodromes that are under their jurisdiction;










(b)


to conduct oversight of those ground handling organisations;










(c)


to ensure the personnel assigned to perform ground handling oversight are appropriately trained, qualified and competent and their competence is maintained;










(d)


to contribute to the implementation of an effective cooperative oversight;










(e)


to take or initiate enforcement measures as appropriate.






3.   Member States shall ensure that the competent authorities have the necessary capabilities and resources to fulfil their responsibilities under this Regulation.


4.   Member States shall ensure that competent authorities exercise their powers impartially and transparently.



Article 4

Oversight


1.   Where a Member State designates more than one competent authority, it shall set out the responsibilities and geographic scope of competence of each competent authority.
Coordination shall be established between those authorities to ensure effective oversight of all ground handling activities and organisations performing them within their respective remits.


2.   Member States shall ensure that the competent authorities’ personnel do not perform oversight activities where this could result directly or indirectly in a conflict of interest.


3.   Personnel authorised by the competent authority to carry out oversight activities shall be empowered to perform the following tasks:






(a)


examine the records, data, procedures and any other material relevant to the execution of the oversight task;










(b)


take away copies of or extracts from such records, data, procedures and other material;










(c)


ask for an oral explanation on-site when necessary;










(d)


enter relevant premises, operating sites or other relevant areas and means of transport;










(e)


perform audits, investigations, tests, exercises, assessments, inspections; and










(f)


take or initiate enforcement measures as appropriate.




Where necessary, Member States shall empower the personnel to carry out additional tasks for the purpose of oversight activities.


4.   Where a ground handling organisation falls within the scope of Article 2(1), point (c), of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1645 (4), and the Member State concerned has designated an independent and autonomous entity to fulfil the assigned role and responsibilities of the competent authority responsible for overseeing compliance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1645, coordination measures shall be established between that entity and the national competent authority designated in accordance with this Regulation, to ensure effective oversight of all the requirements to be met by the ground handling organisation.


5.   The Member States shall develop and implement enforcement measures as specified in Article 62(2), points (d) and (e), of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139.



Article 5

Agency support to facilitate cooperative oversight

The Agency shall facilitate the effective implementation of the cooperative oversight requirements by the Member States, to enable secure access and exchange of relevant information and documentation among competent authorities, necessary to exercise their tasks related to oversight and enforcement pursuant to this Regulation.


Article 6

Transitional provisions

By way of derogation from point ARGH.OVS.305(c), competent authorities shall perform at least one comprehensive oversight of all declaring organisations in their Member State by 27 March 2030 at the latest.
The competent authority shall take into account the prior operational experience of an organisation when developing its oversight plan.


Article 7

Entry into force and application


1.   This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.


2.   It shall apply from 27 March 2028.


3.   The following points shall apply from 27 March 2031:






(a)


point ARGH.GEN.125(c);










(b)


point ARGH.GEN.136;










(c)


point ARGH.MGM.200(e);










(d)


point ARGH.MGM.205(e);










(e)


point ARGH.MGM.211;










(f)


point ARGH.OVS.300(f).









This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 19 December 2024.


For the Commission


The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN
            





(1)  
            OJ L 212, 22.8.2018, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1139/oj.

(2)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 of 19 December 2024 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council by laying down requirements for the safe provision of ground handling services and for organisations providing them (OJ L, 2025/20, 7.3.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/20/oj).

(3)  
            https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/document-library/opinions/opinion-no-012024.

(4)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1645 of 14 July 2022 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council, as regards requirements for the management of information security risks with a potential impact on aviation safety for organisations covered by Commission Regulations (EU) No 748/2012 and (EU) No 139/2014 and amending Commission Regulations (EU) No 748/2012 and (EU) No 139/2014 (OJ L 248, 26.9.2022, p. 18, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2022/1645/oj).




ANNEX
AUTHORITY REQUIREMENTS – GROUND HANDLING
(PART-ARGH)
SUBPART GEN


GENERAL REQUIREMENTS



ARGH.GEN.005   Scope

This Annex establishes requirements for the competent authorities and for their responsibilities referred to in Articles 3(1) and 4 of this Regulation to conduct oversight of the ground handling organisations and the ground handling services that they provide in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20.

ARGH.GEN.100   Competent authority







(a)


The competent authority responsible for the oversight of organisations providing ground handling services at an aerodrome within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 shall be the authority designated by the Member State where the aerodrome is located.










(b)


Without affecting point (a), the competent authority responsible for receiving the declaration from a single ground handling organisation business grouping or a self-handling aircraft operator that has its principal place of business in a Member State and provides ground handling services in more than one Member State shall be the authority designated by the Member State where the organisation has its principal place of business.
That declaration shall be considered to have been submitted to all competent authorities concerned if both the following conditions are met:






(1)


it includes information on the ground handling services provided at all the aerodromes within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 in all the Member States where the ground handling organisation provides services;










(2)


it reaches out to all the Member States concerned through the repository of information established in accordance with Article 74 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139.














(c)


Once submitted, the declaration is valid and recognised in all Member States without further requirements or evaluation, in accordance with Article 67(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139.










(d)


The competent authority responsible for the oversight of organisations referred to in point (b) shall be the authority designated by the Member State where the aerodrome is located. The sharing of tasks among the competent authorities concerned for the oversight of those organisations shall be done in accordance with point ARGH.OVS.330.





ARGH.GEN.115   Oversight documentation

The competent authority shall provide the relevant legal acts, standards, rules, technical publications and related documents, as well as guidance material to its personnel in order to allow them to perform their tasks and to discharge their responsibilities.

ARGH.GEN.120   Means of compliance

The Agency shall develop acceptable means of compliance (AMC) that may be used to establish compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts.

ARGH.GEN.125   Information to be provided to the Agency







(a)


Where the competent authority has become aware of any significant problems with the implementation, by a ground handling organisation, of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts, it shall notify the Agency thereof without undue delay, and in any case within 30 days from the time it has become aware of those problems.










(b)


Without affecting Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) and its delegated and implementing acts, the competent authority shall provide the Agency, as soon as possible, with safety-significant information stemming from occurrence reports stored in the national database pursuant to Article 6(6) of Regulation (EU) No 376/2014.










(c)


The competent authority shall provide the Agency, as soon as possible, with safety-significant information stemming from the information security reports it has received pursuant to point IS.D.OR.230 of the Annex to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1645.





ARGH.GEN.135   Immediate reaction to a safety problem







(a)


Without affecting Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 and its delegated and implementing acts, the competent authority shall implement a system to collect, analyse and disseminate safety information.










(b)


The Agency shall implement a system to analyse any safety-relevant information received and, without undue delay, provide the competent authority of the Member States and the Commission with any information, including recommendations or corrective actions to be taken, necessary for them to react in a timely manner to a safety problem involving organisations responsible for the provision of ground handling services subject to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts.










(c)


Upon receiving the information referred to in points (a) and (b), the competent authority shall take adequate measures to address the safety problem.










(d)


The competent authority shall immediately transmit the measures taken in accordance with point (c) to the ground handling organisation, which shall comply with them under Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts. The competent authority shall also notify those measures to the Agency and, when combined action is required, to the other competent authorities concerned.










(e)


If relevant, the measures notified to a ground handling organisation shall also be notified to the aerodrome operator where the ground handling organisation provides the ground handling services subject to those measures.





ARGH.GEN.136   Immediate reaction to an information security incident or vulnerability with an impact on aviation safety







(a)


The competent authority shall implement a system for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information related to information security incidents and vulnerabilities with a potential impact on aviation safety that are reported by ground handling organisations. This shall be done in coordination with any other relevant authorities responsible for information security or cybersecurity within the Member State concerned to increase the coordination and compatibility of reporting schemes.










(b)


The Agency shall implement a system for the analysis of any relevant safety-significant information received pursuant to point ARGH.GEN.125(c), and without undue delay provide the Member States and the Commission with any information, including recommendations or corrective actions to be taken, necessary for them to react in a timely manner to an information security incident or vulnerability with a potential impact on aviation safety involving products, equipment, persons or organisations subject to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts.










(c)


Upon receiving the information referred to in points (a) and (b), the competent authority shall take adequate measures to address the potential impact of the information security incident or vulnerability on aviation safety.










(d)


Measures taken in accordance with point (c) shall immediately be notified to all persons or organisations that shall comply with them under Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts. The competent authority shall also notify those measures to the Agency and, when combined action is required, the competent authorities of the other Member States concerned.




SUBPART MGM

MANAGEMENT


ARGH.MGM.200   Management system







(a)


The competent authority shall establish, implement and maintain a management system that includes all the following elements:






(1)


documented policies and procedures to describe its organisation, means and methods to achieve compliance of the competent authority with Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts, which shall be kept up to date and serve as the basic working documents within that competent authority for all related tasks;










(2)


sufficient personnel, including inspectors, to perform its tasks and discharge its responsibilities;










(3)


adequate facilities and office accommodation to perform the allocated tasks;










(4)


a function to monitor the compliance of the management system with the relevant requirements and adequacy of the procedures including the establishment of an internal audit process and a safety risk management process;










(5)


a person or group of persons, ultimately responsible to the senior management of the competent authority for the compliance monitoring function.














(b)


Regarding the personnel referred to in point (a)(2), the competent authority shall ensure the following:






(1)


the personnel shall have relevant aviation knowledge and experience and shall be adequately trained and qualified to perform the allocated tasks;










(2)


the inspectors shall receive initial training, on-the-job training, and recurrent training to ensure their continued competence, depending on their previous qualification and experience upon taking up their functions;










(3)


there shall be a system to plan the availability of personnel, in order to ensure the proper completion of all tasks.














(c)


The compliance monitoring function referred to in point (a)(4) shall include a feedback system of audit findings to the senior management of the competent authority to ensure implementation of corrective actions as necessary.










(d)


The competent authority shall appoint for each field of activity, including the management system, one or more persons with the overall responsibility for the management of the tasks referred to in point (a).










(e)


In addition to the requirements in point (a), the management system established and maintained by the competent authority shall comply with Annex I (Part-IS.AR) to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/203 (2) in order to ensure the proper management of information security risks which may have an impact on aviation safety.





ARGH.MGM.205   Allocation of tasks to qualified entities







(a)


The competent authority may allocate to qualified entities tasks related to the registration of declarations or continuing oversight of ground handling organisations subject to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts.










(b)


When allocating tasks to a qualified entity, the competent authority shall ensure that:






(1)


that authority has a system in place to initially and continually assess whether the qualified entity complies with Annex VI to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139;










(2)


the system referred to in point (1) and the results of the assessments are documented;










(3)


the authority has established a documented agreement with the qualified entity, approved by both parties at the appropriate management level, which clearly defines:






(i)


the tasks to be performed;










(ii)


the declarations, reports and records to be provided;










(iii)


the technical conditions to be met in performing such tasks;










(iv)


the related liability coverage;










(v)


the protection given to information acquired in carrying out such tasks.


















(c)


The competent authority shall establish procedures to ensure that all the information related to the submission of a declaration by a ground handling organisation is promptly communicated between the competent authority and the qualified entity.










(d)


The competent authority shall ensure that the internal audit process and safety risk management process referred to in point ARGH.MGM.200(a)(4) of this Annex cover all tasks related to the acceptance of declarations or continuing oversight tasks performed on its behalf.










(e)


For the oversight of the ground handling organisation’s compliance with point ORGH.MGM.201 of Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20, the competent authority may allocate tasks to qualified entities in accordance with point (a) or to any relevant authority responsible for information security or cybersecurity within the Member State. When allocating tasks, the competent authority shall ensure that:






(1)


all aspects related to aviation safety are coordinated and taken into account by the qualified entity or the relevant authority;










(2)


the results of the oversight activities performed by the qualified entity or the relevant authority are integrated in the overall oversight files of the ground handling organisation;










(3)


its own information security management system, established in accordance with point ARGH.MGM.200(e), covers all the continuing oversight tasks performed on its behalf.









ARGH.MGM.210   Changes to the management system







(a)


The competent authority shall have a system in place to identify changes that affect its capability to perform its tasks and discharge its responsibilities as laid down in Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts. That system shall enable it to take action, as appropriate, to ensure that its management system remains adequate and effective.










(b)


The competent authority shall update its management system to reflect any changes to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts in a timely manner.










(c)


The competent authority shall notify the Agency of changes affecting its capability to perform its tasks and discharge its responsibilities as laid down in Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts.





ARGH.MGM.211   Changes to the information security management system of a ground handling organisation







(a)


For changes managed and notified to the competent authority in accordance with the procedure set out in point IS.D.OR.255(a) of the Annex to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1645, the competent authority shall include the review of such changes in its continuing oversight in accordance with the principles laid down in point ARGH.OVS.300 of this Annex. If any non-compliance is found, the competent authority shall notify the organisation thereof, request further changes and act in accordance with point ARGH.OVS.325 of this Annex.










(b)


For other changes referred to in point IS.D.OR.255(b) of the Annex to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1645, the competent authority shall check the ground handling organisation’s compliance with the applicable requirements as part of the oversight tasks.





ARGH.MGM.215   Record-keeping







(a)


The competent authority shall establish a system of record-keeping that ensures adequate storage, accessibility and reliable traceability of:






(1)


the management system’s documented policies and procedures;










(2)


training, qualification and authorisation of the competent authority’s personnel;










(3)


if applicable, the allocation of tasks to qualified entities, covering the elements required by point ARGH.MGM.205 as well as the details of tasks allocated;










(4)


declaration process and continuing oversight of organisations responsible for the provision of ground handling services;










(5)


the evaluation and notification to the Agency of AltMoC proposed by organisations responsible for the provision of ground handling services and the assessment of AltMoC used by the competent authority itself;










(6)


findings, corrective actions and date of action closure, and observations;










(7)


enforcement measures taken;










(8)


safety information and follow-up measures;










(9)


the use of flexibility provisions laid down in Article 71 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139.














(b)


The competent authority shall maintain an up-to-date list of all the declarations it has received.










(c)


The records referred to in points (a) and (b) shall be kept for a minimum period of 5 years, subject to applicable Union data protection law.




SUBPART OVS


OVERSIGHT AND ENFORCEMENT



ARGH.OVS.300   Oversight







(a)


The competent authority shall verify both of the following during the oversight process:






(1)


the continued compliance of the ground handling organisation with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 and the terms of its declaration;










(2)


the implementation of appropriate safety measures mandated by the competent authority in accordance with point ARGH.GEN.135.














(b)


The oversight referred to in point (a) shall:






(1)


be supported by documentation intended to provide guidance for the competent authority personnel to perform their functions;










(2)


provide the ground handling organisation concerned with the results of the oversight;










(3)


be based on audits and inspections, including ramp and unannounced inspections, when appropriate;










(4)


provide the competent authority with the evidence needed if further action is required, including the measures referred to in point ARGH.OVS.325(d).














(c)


The scope of the oversight shall consider the results of past oversight activities of the competent authority and the safety priorities as identified through the European Plan for Aviation Safety.










(d)


The competent authority shall collect and process any information deemed useful for oversight and risk-based oversight, including for unannounced inspections, as appropriate.










(e)


Where more than one competent authority is responsible for the oversight of the same organisation, the oversight shall be conducted in accordance with point ARGH.OVS.330.










(f)


For the oversight of the organisation’s compliance with point ORGH.MGM.201 of Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20, in addition to complying with points (a) to (d) of this point, the competent authority shall review any exemption granted under point IS.D.OR.200(e) of the Annex to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1645 following the applicable oversight audit cycle and whenever changes are implemented in the scope of work of the organisation.





ARGH.OVS.305   Oversight programme







(a)


The competent authority shall establish and maintain an oversight programme covering the oversight activities required by ARGH.OVS.300.










(b)


The oversight programme shall be developed and implemented taking into account the following elements:






(1)


the services provided by the ground handling organisation;










(2)


the complexity of the ground handling organisation;










(3)


the results of past oversight, where applicable;










(4)


the assessment of risks associated with the ground handling services provided by the ground handling organisation and its risk exposure;










(5)


the ground handling organisation’s safety performance, where applicable.














(c)


The competent authority shall apply an oversight planning cycle not exceeding 48 months, starting from the date when the initial declaration is received. The oversight programme and planning shall reflect the safety performance of the ground handling organisation, as well as its risk exposure. The oversight cycle shall include audits and inspections, including unannounced inspections, as appropriate.










(d)


The oversight planning cycle may be extended to maximum 72 months if the competent authority has established that, during the previous audit cycle:






(1)


the ground handling organisation has demonstrated an effective management system, including compliance monitoring, identification of aviation safety hazards and management of associated risks;










(2)


the ground handling organisation has continually demonstrated that it has full control over all changes in accordance with point ORGH.GEN.130 of Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20;










(3)


no level 1 findings have been issued;










(4)


all corrective actions have been implemented within the time period accepted or extended by the competent authority in accordance with point ARGH.OVS.325(d) of this Annex.














(e)


The oversight cycle may be reduced if there is evidence that the safety performance of the ground handling organisation has decreased or where specific hazards in the local conditions at the aerodrome of operation require enhanced oversight.










(f)


The oversight programme shall include records of the dates when audits and inspections are due and when they have been carried out.





ARGH.OVS.310   Industry standards

For the purpose of gathering, exchanging and disseminating relevant information between the Commission, the Agency and the national competent authorities, the Agency, involving expertise provided by Member States, shall evaluate, against objective criteria, the content of industry standards and their updates, when used by ground handling organisations on a voluntary basis to discharge their responsibilities regarding the safe provision of ground handling services.

ARGH.OVS.315   Oversight tasks







(a)


The competent authority responsible for the oversight of an organisation providing ground handling services at aerodromes in that authority’s Member State shall ensure that all the following aspects are verified during an oversight cycle:






(1)


compliance with Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20:






(i)


the organisation’s management system including the organisational structure, processes, programmes and procedures applicable to the ground handling organisation as a whole;










(ii)


safety policies and processes, safety management system, including hazard identification, risk assessment and mitigation, including mitigation of safety risks specific to the operational context at the aerodrome(s) subject to oversight;










(iii)


the safety and occurrence reporting process and the reports related to the station(s) subject to oversight;










(iv)


the management of changes referred to in ORGH.GEN.130 of Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 and the declaration;










(v)


the compliance monitoring function;










(vi)


the record-keeping and documentation system, including the ground handling manual;










(vii)


the ground handling training programmes, including the training records;










(viii)


the ground support equipment (GSE) maintenance programme;










(ix)


any other overarching organisational processes, programmes and procedures within the scope of the ground handling organisation’s declaration and applicable to that organisation as a whole;














(2)


compliance with the operational requirements of Annex II to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20.














(b)


When overseeing an organisation providing ground handling services in more than one Member State, the provisions of point ARGH.OVS.330 shall apply.





ARGH.OVS.320   Declaration of ground handling organisations







(a)


Upon receiving a declaration from a ground handling organisation, the competent authority shall acknowledge the receipt of the declaration or the notification of change, including the assignment of an individual reference number, and shall verify that it contains all the information required by point ORGH.DEC.100 and, for the notification of changes, point ORGH.GEN.130 of Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20. The competent authority shall ensure that the declaration is transmitted to the Repository of Information, in accordance with the terms and conditions of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2117 (3).










(b)


If the declaration is not duly filled in or contains information that is not in accordance with point ORGH.DEC.100 and the Appendix to Subpart ORGH.DEC of Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20, the competent authority shall notify the ground handling organisation about the missing or incorrect elements and request further information. If deemed necessary, the competent authority shall carry out an inspection of the ground handling organisation. If the non-compliance is confirmed, the competent authority shall take action as defined in point ARGH.OVS.325.










(c)


If the declaration contains information that the ground handling organisation provides or intends to provide services also at aerodromes in other Member States, the competent authority receiving the declaration or the notification of change shall ensure all the other competent authorities concerned are informed and have access to the declaration, the notification of change, and all related documentation.





ARGH.OVS.325   Findings, observations, corrective actions and enforcement measures







(a)


The competent authority shall have a system to analyse findings to determine their safety significance and to manage them with the purpose of:






(1)


ensuring that compliance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 is established as soon as possible;










(2)


preventing their reoccurrence.














(b)


The competent authority shall issue a level 1 finding where it detects any significant non-compliance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 or of the declaration submitted, which lowers flight or ground safety or seriously jeopardises it.
The level 1 findings shall include, in particular, the following:






(1)


any failure to grant access of the competent authority to the facilities of the ground handling organisation pursuant to point ORGH.GEN.140 of Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 during normal operating hours and after two written requests;










(2)


any evidence of malpractice or fraudulent use of the declaration;










(3)


the lack of an accountable manager.














(c)


The competent authority shall issue a level 2 finding where it detects any non-compliance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 or of the declaration submitted, which is not classified as a level 1 finding and which could lower flight or ground safety or possibly jeopardise it.










(d)


Where the competent authority, during investigation or oversight or by any other means, finds evidence that the ground handling organisation does not comply with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 or the declaration submitted in accordance with point ORGH.DEC.100 of that Regulation, the competent authority shall:






(1)


raise a finding, record it, communicate it in writing to the representative of the ground handling organisation, and determine a reasonable period of time within which the organisation shall take the measures specified in point ORGH.GEN.150 of Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20;










(2)


in case of level 1 findings, if the ground handling organisation fails to submit an acceptable corrective action in accordance with point ORGH.GEN.150 of Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20, take immediate and appropriate action to limit or prohibit the ground handling activities affected by the non-compliance until it has taken the corrective action referred to in point (1); the competent authorities involved in the oversight of the organisation shall assess whether failure to close a level 1 finding by one competent authority affects operation at the aerodromes under their oversight and shall take the appropriate action based on that assessment;










(3)


in case of level 2 findings:






(i)


request that the organisation provides a corrective-action plan including an implementation period appropriate to the nature of the finding which, in any case, shall initially be no longer than 3 months; at the end of the period and subject to the nature of the finding, the competent authority may extend the initial period subject to a satisfactory revision by the organisation of the initial corrective-action plan with which it had agreed;










(ii)


assess the corrective-action plan proposed by the organisation and, if the assessment concludes that it is sufficient to address the non-compliance(s), accept it.




If the ground handling organisation fails to submit an acceptable corrective-action plan or to perform the corrective-action plan within the time period accepted or extended by the competent authority, the competent authority may escalate the level 2 finding to a level 1 finding, and take action as laid down in point (2);










(4)


in applying the actions listed in points (2) and (3), coordinate with the other competent authorities concerned, as necessary, to ensure that the continuity of operation and provision of ground handling services at that aerodrome are not impeded;










(5)


take any further enforcement measures necessary to ensure the closing of the non-compliance and, where relevant, remedy its consequences;










(6)


record all findings it has raised and, where applicable, the enforcement measures it has applied as specified in Article 62(2) points (d) and (e), of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, as well as all corrective actions and date of action closure of findings.














(e)


The competent authority shall inform the aerodrome operator concerned of the findings relating to the ground handling organisation if those are relevant for the safety of that aerodrome.










(f)


For cases not requiring level 1 or level 2 findings, the competent authority may issue observations.





ARGH.OVS.330   Cooperative oversight







(a)


The competent authorities responsible for the oversight of organisations providing ground handling services in more than one Member State or at aerodromes that are under the oversight responsibility of more than one competent authority shall cooperate to ensure effective and efficient oversight of those organisations and their services. Those competent authorities shall ensure mutual exchange of information and assistance to complete their oversight tasks and responsibilities.










(b)


The cooperative oversight shall cover the following organisations having their principal place of business in a Member State and providing ground handling services in more than one Member State or at aerodromes that are under the oversight responsibility of more than one competent authority:






(1)


independent providers of ground handling services;










(2)


self-handling aircraft operators that may or may not be part of a single air carrier business grouping.














(c)


The mutual exchange of information shall cover the following elements:






(1)


declarations of ground handling organisations and related documents to prove compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts;










(2)


AltMoC used;










(3)


audit reports, findings raised, corrective actions, corrective-action plans, root-cause analyses, and any other information on the relevant findings raised, follow-up actions, as well as any enforcement measures taken as a result of oversight;










(4)


information stemming from mandatory and voluntary occurrence reporting as required by point ORGH.GEN.160 of Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20.














(d)


The tasks for the oversight of a ground handling organisation referred to in point (b) shall be assigned in accordance with points (e) and (f).










(e)


The competent authority of the Member State where the organisation has its principal place of business shall verify all the following elements listed in Annexes I and II to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20, either on its own or supported by any of the other competent authorities concerned, followed by inspections of ground handling activities performed at aerodromes in its State, to verify that the implementation of the organisation’s management system elements is performed as documented:






(1)


the organisation’s management system elements referred to in point ORGH.MGM.200 of Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 relating to the organisational structure, processes, programmes and procedures applicable to the ground handling organisation as a whole;










(2)


safety policies and processes, safety management system, including hazard identification, risk assessment and mitigation, including mitigation of safety risks specific to the operational context at the aerodrome(s) subject to oversight;










(3)


the safety and occurrence reporting process and the reports related to the provision of ground handling services at the aerodrome(s) subject to oversight;










(4)


the management of changes and the declaration;










(5)


the compliance monitoring function;










(6)


the record-keeping and documentation system, including the ground handling manual;










(7)


the ground handling training programmes, including the training records;










(8)


the GSE maintenance programme;










(9)


any other overarching organisational processes, programmes and procedures within the scope of its declaration and applicable to the organisation as a whole.














(f)


Each competent authority of the Member States where the organisation provides ground handling services, other than the Member State where its principal place of business is located, shall oversee the safe provision of services at the stations in their Member State, by verifying the actual implementation of:






(1)


the organisation’s management system elements referred to in point ORGH.MGM.200 of Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20, particularly relating to the ground handling organisation’s activities at the station under its oversight:






(i)


the organisational structure referred to in point ORGH.MGM.200(b)(1) of Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20 and the ground handling activities;










(ii)


hazard identification;










(iii)


the risk assessment and mitigation, including mitigation of safety risks specific to the provision of services at the station(s) subject to oversight;










(iv)


the content of the ground handling manual, including the procedures and instructions of the aircraft operators operating at the station(s) subject to oversight, as well as the procedures of the relevant aerodrome operator(s);










(v)


training records and implementation of the training programme at the station(s) subject to oversight;










(vi)


the GSE maintenance programme;










(vii)


occurrence reports and internal safety reports relevant for the provision of ground handling services at the station(s) subject to oversight;














(2)


the operational requirements of Annex II to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/20.














(g)


Each of the competent authorities referred to in points (e) and (f) shall:






(1)


agree with the ground handling organisation on the proposed corrective-action plan and corrective actions to address the non-compliances identified at the station under their oversight;










(2)


inform all the other competent authorities concerned on the audits and inspections reports and the corrective actions.










(3)


In case of a level 1 finding raised to an organisation referred to in point (b), the competent authority raising the finding shall immediately inform the other competent authorities concerned. Each of the competent authorities responsible for the oversight of that organisation shall assess whether and to what extent the finding affects the stations under its oversight. Each competent authority shall apply the most appropriate action it considers necessary to ensure, as the case may be, the closing of the non-compliance and remedy its consequences.










(4)


In case of a level 1 finding raised on the lack of an accountable manager, the competent authority raising the finding shall immediately inform the other competent authorities concerned and they shall all apply the same action uniformly at all the stations under their oversight. They shall take any further enforcement measure necessary to ensure the closing of the non-compliance and remedy its consequences.














(h)


All the competent authorities involved in the oversight of an organisation referred to in point (b) shall support the competent authority of the organisation’s principal place of business to periodically update the assessment of the safety performance of the organisation based on the oversight reports from individual stations in the other Member States.










(i)


Any of the competent authorities responsible for the oversight of an organisation referred to in point (b) may support the competent authority of the Member State where the organisation has its principal place of business in performing the audits or inspections as specified in point (e).










(j)


The competent authorities concerned shall establish procedures for the implementation of the cooperative oversight process to cover all the aspects detailed in points (a) to (i).










(k)


The competent authorities shall use the repository of information established in accordance with Article 74 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 to access the documents and information referred to in point (c).






(1)  Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 on the reporting, analysis and follow-up of occurrences in civil aviation, amending Regulation (EU) No 996/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Directive 2003/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Regulations (EC) No 1321/2007 and (EC) No 1330/2007 (OJ L 122, 24.4.2014, p. 18, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2014/376/oj).

(2)  Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/203 of 27 October 2022 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council, as regards requirements for the management of information security risks with a potential impact on aviation safety for organisations covered by Commission Regulations (EU) No 1321/2014, (EU) No 965/2012, (EU) No 1178/2011, (EU) 2015/340, Commission Implementing Regulations (EU) 2017/373 and (EU) 2021/664, and for competent authorities covered by Commission Regulations (EU) No 748/2012, (EU) No 1321/2014, (EU) No 965/2012, (EU) No 1178/2011, (EU) 2015/340 and (EU) No 139/2014, Commission Implementing Regulations (EU) 2017/373 and (EU) 2021/664 and amending Commission Regulations (EU) No 1178/2011, (EU) No 748/2012, (EU) No 965/2012, (EU) No 139/2014, (EU) No 1321/2014, (EU) 2015/340, and Commission Implementing Regulations (EU) 2017/373 and (EU) 2021/664 (OJ L 31, 2.2.2023, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2023/203/oj).

(3)  Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2117 of 12 October 2023 laying down the necessary rules and detailed requirements for the functioning and management of a repository of information pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L, 2023/2117, 13.10.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2023/2117/oj).



ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/23/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)