(9) With a view to harmonising the statutory surveys and inspections to be carried out by the flag administrations pursuant to the international conventions, IMO adopted Resolution A.746(18) of 4 November 1993 on Survey Guidelines under the Harmonised System of Survey and Certification.

(10) In order to protect the Community's financial interests, however, declarations under the IMA 1 certificate arrangements must be verified at Community level by the random sampling of lots and the use of internationally recognised testing and statistical methods.

For these purposes, the Commission is proposing that the organisation should be empowered : - to draft and adopt binding rules with regard to safety of civil aviation (particularly as regards the design, manufacture, operation and maintenance of aircraft, as well as the persons and the bodies involved in these tasks); - to cooperate with contracting parties to ensure uniform application of the common rules; - to conduct, directly or through competent bodies, the technical inspections required to check conformity with the common rules, issue the appropriate certificates and to guarantee the regular follow-up of the level of aviation saf ...[+++]ety; - to establish the necessary international relations within its field of competence, including concluding with foreign aviation authorities the agreements necessary for the harmonisation of aviation safety rules as well as developing cooperation with a view to promoting the use of the European rules applicable in this area.