N E W S
Proportion of UK
business aviation
operations to the
EU mainland
80,000
Number of biz
av flights a year
between the UK
48%
AUTHORITIES REASSURE
OVER POST-BREXIT REGULATIONS
and EU
BUSINESS AIRPORT INTERNATIONAL A P R I L 2 0 2 0 |
15
T he UK’s Civil Aviation Authority
has said it is able to cope with
inheriting all of the European
Union’s aviation safety
regulations, after the UK Government
confirmed that it will completely withdraw
from the EU’s safety agency at the end of
this year.
The UK and EU are in a transitional
phase of Brexit until December 31, 2020.
During this time, European Aviation Safety
Agency (EASA) regulations still apply to
UK aviation companies, including charter
operators and FBOs.
With negotiations ongoing, most in
the industry had hope for continued
membership of EASA and close alignment
of safety regulations. However the UK
Government confirmed last month that it
would be withdrawing from EASA completely
at the end of the transition period. The UK’s
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will then take
over EASA’s responsibilities.
The CAA said it is seeking continuity
and stability for the business aviation
industry during the negotiations. Tim
Johnson, director of the UK’s CAA, said,
“The UK Government and the EU have said
they intend to agree a bilateral aviation
safety agreement, as the UK will no longer
participate in the EASA system after the
transition period ends.
“The CAA has been planning for this
outcome and we are prepared to take over
regulatory responsibilities from EASA. There
will be no immediate changes to aviation
regulations at the end of this year, because
of these preparations.”
If no bilateral deal is agreed, after the
transition period the UK will continue to
recognize EASA certificates, approvals
and licences for use in the UK’s aviation
system and on UK-registered aircraft for up
to two years. Most industry insiders believe
it is in the EU’s interests to recognize UK
certificates, approvals & licences in the
same way.
Flights between the UK and the European
continent make up a significant proportion of
business aviation traffic in Europe.
Speaking at this year’s British Business
and General Aviation annual conference
last month, David Kendrick, head of airline
licensing at UK’s CAA said, “There will be
three to four rounds of conversations that
will take place up until June. We have very
clearly set out the manifesto in terms of what
we’re looking for.
“There are a number of uncertainties with
regards to the politics on both sides. But
I think we will come out of these talks in a
good place. But I won’t be too premature
because there are many aspects to this,”
he added.
Athar Husain Khan, secretary-general at
the European Business Aviation Association
said, “There are three things key to us. First
is the access to the market – traffic rights
are something that we would like to see
maintained both ways.
“The second thing is if safety
certifications between EASA and the UK will
be aligned. The third is the fear of increasing
red tape – longer lead times for market
access and safety certifications. We are
concentrating on these things when we are
briefing the regulators of the EU side
as well.”
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