COLOGNE, March 27, 2025 — The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued the first Design or Production Organisation (DPO) approval of equipment for Air Traffic Management/Air Navigation (ATM/ANS) services, marking a major milestone in the journey towards a safer, more secure, interoperable, and efficient operation of the European ATM network in all phases of flight. The approval was awarded to Micro Elektronische Producten B.V. (MEP) that designs and produces air-ground voice communication systems for Air Traffic Control services and is the first organisation approved under EASA. The single EASA approval is valid across the entire EU market, paving the way for harmonised ATM/ANS equipment across the continent. “This approval is a first step on the way to a more modern and harmonised ATM network in Europe,” said EASA Flight Standards Director, Jesper Rasmussen. “Europe is strong in producing ATM equipment and this new approval system makes it easier for the service providers to adopt solutions already proven as safe in real operations. Innovation also becomes easier, as the approval of an organisation comes with the privilege to improve existing solutions without needing a new full certification. We congratulate MEP on the achievement of receiving this first approval and expect many manufacturers to follow in their footsteps.” (....)