Ensuring safe flying after Brexit

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The EU is taking the steps needed to continue to ensure a high level of aviation safety in its airspace in the event the UK leaves the EU without a negotiated agreement. Member states’ representatives meeting in the Council’s Permanent Representatives Committee today approved an agreement with the European Parliament on a draft regulation aimed at ensuring the continued validity of certain aviation safety certificates.

The regulation covers aviation safety certificates for certain aeronautical products, parts and appliances issued to natural and legal persons having their principal place of business in the UK, as well as certificates issued by providers of aviation training.

The regulation extends the validity of such certificates for a period of nine months from the date of application of the regulation. If necessary, the Commission will be entitled to prolong this period further. The extension will allow the operators concerned and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)  sufficient time so that EASA can continue to issue the necessary certificates under article 68 of the regulation on common rules in the field of civil aviation, taking account of the UK’s status as a third country.

EASA is responsible for the issuance of type certificates and organisation approvals in the EU. After its withdrawal, the UK will resume these tasks under its obligations as ‘State of design’ under the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.

The regulation shall apply from the day following that on which the Treaties cease to apply to the United Kingdom pursuant to Article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union, unless a withdrawal agreement concluded with the UK has entered into force by that date. However, in order to allow for the necessary administrative procedures to be carried out as early as possible, certain provisions will apply as from the regulation’s entry into force (the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union).

The text will now be formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council.

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