9.9.2008 Official Journal of the European Union L 240/3 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 875/2008 of 8 September 2008 repealing Regulation (EC) No 1962/2006 THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the FEuropean Union, and in particular Article 4(3) thereof, Having regard to the Act of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, and in particular Article 37 thereof, Whereas: (1) By Regulation (EC) No 1962/2006 (), the Commission imposed safeguard measures in respect to Bulgaria in the area of civil aviation pursuant to Article 37 of the Act of Accession of Bulgaria in order to address a serious breach of the functioning of the internal market for air transport, resulting from a failure to implement commitments undertaken by Bulgaria in the context of accession negotiations with regard to Community policy in the area of aviation safety concerning economic activities with cross border effects. (2)  Following the imposition of the safeguard measures provided by Regulation (EC) No 1962/2006, the competent authority for civil aviation of Bulgaria (here- inafter referred to as the Bulgarian CAA) proposed to and agreed with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) a plan of corrective measures designed to remedy the safety shortcomings identified during previous visits by EASA and the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA). (3)  The Commission requested on 6 September 2007 EASA to verify regulatory compliance of the Bulgarian Aviation Authorities in all aspects of safety affected by the safeguard measures imposed by Regulation (EC) No 1962/2006, ie. to verify the implementation of the (") OJ L 408, 30.12.2006, p. 8. Corrected by OJ L 47, 16.2.2007, p. 8. agreed corrective action plan and the capacity of the Bulgarian CAA to implement the rules and ensure that they are properly respected as part of its oversight obli- gations. (4 This inspection visit was carried out by EASA from 26 to 30 November 2007 in application of Articles 24(1) and (5) and 54 of Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 February 2008 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency, and repealing Council Directive 91/670/EEC, Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002 and Directive 2004/36/EC (3 and in accordance with the provisions of Commission Regu- lation (EC) No 736/2006 of 16 May 2006 on working methods of the European Aviation Safety Agency for conducting standardisation inspections (*). Following this visit, EASA issued its report on 15 February 2008 (*). (5)  In its report of the standardisation visit EASA noted a definitive improvement: all required Part M, Part 145, Part 147 approvals and all Part 66 licences have been issued. Also the Air Operator Certificates except for one have been issued according to European requirements. Hence, EASA was able to close 44 out of 45 findings in the area of airworthiness while it raised 12 new findings concerning processes of continuous oversight. (6) In its report, EASA also stated that since the previous inspection visit in November 2006, the Bulgarian CAA had taken drastic measures with regard to the airworthiness of all aircraft registered in Bulgaria. (7)  Thus, the number of aircraft on the Bulgarian register had been reduced by nearly half due to the removal from the register of aircraft of former Soviet design falling under Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008. Also, the Bulgarian CAA has taken actions to limit or revoke non-complying approvals and certi- ficates. The number of inspectors for continued airworthiness has increased from eight to 12 (with, in addition, three new support staff). Furthermore, there has () OJ L 79, 19.3.2008, p. 1. () O] L 129, 17.5.2006, p. 10. (*) Final Report on the EASA Standardisation Inspection of the Republic of Bulgaria, Bulgarian Civil Aviation Administration, in the filed of European aviation safety regulation applicable in the area of continuing airworthiness, CAW.BG.11.2007 issued on 15 February 2008.