Horizontal analysis (HA) is an EMSA core task under Articles 2 and 3(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 as amended:

“Where appropriate, and in any case when a cycle of visits or inspections is concluded, the Agency shall analyse reports from that cycle with a view to identifying horizontal findings and general conclusions on the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of the measures in place. The Agency shall present this analysis to the Commission for further discussion with Member States in order to draw any relevant lessons and facilitate the dissemination of good working practices.”

EMSA carries out horizontal analyses when a cycle of visits or inspections has been completed, which is when a full set of results can be analysed and common issues, root-causes, good practices and possible ways forward to improve implementation can be identified.
In addition, an interim horizontal analysis is usually carried at mid-cycle, after about half of the foreseen visits or inspections have been carried out and an initial picture can be drawn. At the end of a cycle usually a full horizontal analysis is conducted, often followed by a workshop. Such report should focus, inter alia, on:

• the effectiveness of the implementation measures in place,
• identification and analysis of areas of common concern,
• best practices identified and lessons learnt,
• feedback for the evaluation of the legislation and its further development, and
• the overall cost-efficiency of the measures in place.

The primary information sources for the activity are the visit or inspection reports. These are analysed with the aim to evaluate the performance of the entirety, or of a broad number, of EU Member States. It is NOT designed to assist the legal assessment of individual Member States’ compliance with Union law.

The primary goal of a horizontal assessment report is then to review and assess the level and effectiveness of implementation of the measures throughout the EU, with the aim to contribute to continuous improvement to the safety level in an Union-wide perspective. This is done highlighting what work efficiently and what not, so identifying problems of a horizontal nature but also good practices, and defining potential ways forward, facilitating dissemination and discussion by the Commission and the Member States. Horizontal analysis is also aimed to provide elements for consideration about the overall effectiveness and cost-efficiency of the measures in place. The issues picked up and ways forward developed in such a horizontal analysis may relate to legal, technical or operational problems at the level of the visited or inspected entities and Member States as well as at EU level, including EMSA’s own frameworks and systems.