ADS Asks European Commission to Allow UK, EU Aviation Regulators to Start Brexit Planning

Britain’s premier aerospace trade organisation, ADS has written to the European Commission (EC) for the second time in four months to request it once again to permit the British and European airline controllers to start technical planning for scheduled Brexit next year.

This is the ADS request to the EC for technical discussions to take place between the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to prepare for Brexit.

ADS made its first request in June jointly with General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), however, the EC rejected the request. “It is understood that the UK government has also made requests for these technical discussions to take place, but that the EC has so far blocked this preparatory step,” ADS said in a statement on Tuesday (11).

Technical discussions between the CAA and EASA are needed to make sure there is adequate preparation that will avert significant disruption to European and global aerospace and aviation once the UK leaves the EU. This preparation is needed for either potential scenario – that a withdrawal agreement is ratified for the UK’s exit from the EU, or that no deal is agreed before withdrawal, ADS said.

The EC stated on July 19 that “preparing for the UK becoming a third country is of paramount importance” and that all parties must step up preparations. On June 29 the European Council renewed its call for EU member states, EU institutions and all stakeholders to step up their work on preparedness at all levels and for all outcomes. The EC rejection of technical discussions between the CAA and EASA is inconsistent with these calls for preparedness.

Britain earlier expressed its desire to remain as part of EASA after its exit from European Union in 2019, but it is not yet clear whether it is possible or not.

The aviation sector is expected to be most severely impacted by Britain’s exit from European Union as there is no option for the industry in the absence of a deal on future relations after Brexit.