1.1. Introduction
This section sets the definition of terms and terminology used in the documentation explaining the functioning of the entire ECCAIRS 2 (from now on it can be referred to as E2) through the perspective of different roles.
The E2 mission is to aid National and European transport entities in the collection, sharing and analysis of safety information in order to improve public transport safety. This section also briefly depicts what is E2, its goals and its legal support.
1.1.1. About ECCAIRS 2
ECCAIRS 2 (European Coordination Centre for Accident and Incident Reporting Systems) is the second version of an IT system designed to support a collaborative network of National Aviation Authorities (NAAs) and Safety Investigation Authorities (SIAs) from EU Member States, along with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Its core mission is to facilitate the collection, sharing, and analysis of safety-related information to enhance the safety of public transportation.
Key Objectives:
E2 implements collection and dissemination requirements for:
Member States' safety data is consolidated in two central databases:
System Architecture & Functionality
ECCAIRS 2 is thean Europeanintegrated platformsystem designedsupported forby two distinct but interconnected taxonomies:
Occurrence Reporting Process
Safety Recommendations Process
The process is primarily managed by Occurrence Officers from aviation Authorities of each country. To reduce manual workload, the system also allows for the automation of repetitive or large-scale tasks through batch operations. Ason a result,dedicated thepublic systemportal.
There are three types of reports in the process:
- Original Report (OR): It is a description of the safety event submitted by a Reporter.
- Validated Report (VR): It is a copy of the OR stored in the National Authority's E2 database. It is editable, allowing enrichment.
- Occurrence (OC): It is the main enriched report, representing the complete occurrence after integrating all related VRs. It consolidates all relevant information and can be shared with the European Central Repository (ECR) for further analysis and safety oversight.
In broad terms the workflow includes receiving an OR, validating it into VR, integrating the VR into an OC, and finally sharing the Occurrences with the European Central Repository (ECR):

In some cases, managing an occurrence can be more complex, as a single event (such as an accident or incident) may generate multiple OR from different reporters. Each OR is validated into a VR, and all VRs are eventually merged into a single OC to be shared with the ECR or forwarded to another authority. Furthermore, if changes are made to an OR or VR after processing has begun, they may conflict with existing data—therefore, the process includes mechanisms to identify and resolve such conflicts:

If an OR is sent to a non-competent authority, it may be transferred to the appropriate one.

The ECCAIRS2 Taxonomy is a standardized classification system that defines the structure and encoding of data fields in aviation occurrence reports. It serves as the official reference for ECCAIRS2, ensuring uniformity in occurrence reporting and coding. By providing a clear framework for data collection, the taxonomy enhances interoperability, supports safety analysis, and promotes regulatory compliance. Publicly available, it enables consistent and reliable reporting across the aviation industry.
The following sections describe all the functionalities and tasks that Occurrence Officers can perform using the E2 Web Application. They can only access information—such as reports, queries, and views—that is owned by their respective Authority.
Occurrence Officers can find essential information in the following sections:
- Safety Data – outlines all tools for managing reports.
- Data Management – includes Queries to filter and export reports (OR, VR, OC), plus Word Templates.
- Taxonomy Browser – helps locate entities and attributes with clear definitions.
- Other Features – offer additional support for workflow tasks.