When the European Union upbraids an African country for lax aviation oversight it is, by now, par for the course. When the EU does so with its biggest member state, Germany, that is an entirely different issue. In the latest update of the so-called aviation blacklist, a document through which the EU's Air Safety Committee signals concerns about specific airlines and regulators-and bars some from operating in Europe-the group has taken the unusual step of singling out member states for oversight infractions. In particular, Germany and Spain are coming un- der fire because ramp inspections have shown an increase in the number of carriers registered in those countries with problems. In the case of both countries, EU officials met with the relevant state organizations-the Federal Aviation Office (LBA) in Germany and AESA in Spain-to discuss the matter.
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