The day has come. After many months, a draft agreement and political declaration are in the hands of the UK and EU. The term “deal” is being used to sum it all up. That might not be the best word considering that so much remains on a wish-list, but that word has come into common usage.
In the run-up to the UK’s exit from the EU on 29 March 2019, if it happens, there’s no end of work that must still be completed. There’s no doubt that if the “deal” is agreed there’s an enormous amount of Parliamentary work to be done passing the Statutory Instruments[1] needed to make it work in law.
Aviation needs a “modern stable regulatory framework” to support growth, says Henrik Hololei, Director General for Mobility & Transport, European Commission. Whichever side of the on-going arguments you stand this remains a sound statement. The future of aviation in the EU and its neighbouring countries, including the UK will be one of the major files handed over to the next Commission.
2019 is election year for the EU. We can expect a whole new European Parliament and Commission to be up and running as that year matures. The Brexit fall-out may land in new and different hands by the end of 2019. The overall topics for debate and political climate may have changed significantly durring Romania’s Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Maintaining a stable regulatory framework that allows air transport to flourish in the UK and EU may yet meet even more challenges that just at this moment. Turning the wish for a: Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement, covering market access and investment and aviation safety into reality has a long way to go. We must hope that, subject to all this turmoil that no one drops the ball. Aviation safety is far too valuable to be jeopardised by endless politically shenanigans.
There’s the expectation that the microsite[2] of the UK CAA will to be updated with information for the aviation and aerospace industries as the situation develops.
[1] https://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/blog/westminster-lens-brexit-statutory-instruments-dashboard
[2] https://info.caa.co.uk/euexit/
John Vincent 