Last week, new implementing procedures agreed under a Bilateral Air Safety Agreement (BASA)[1] between the UK and US, were discussed with the aerospace and aviation industry at the Embassy of the United States in London[2].
In the event of a No-Deal Brexit the UK would not be able to continue to participate in the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulatory system. However, the UK is saying that design validation processes will be “similar” to those implemented under the existing EU-US bilateral agreement. Also, there will be continued acceptance by the UK and US of each other’s aviation maintenance approvals.
The UK is working on other bilateral safety arrangements with the aviation authorities in Canada and Brazil. These are the major aircraft manufacturing countries that have a long history of cooperation on aircraft certification and maintenance. The international Maintenance and Certification Management Teams (MMT/CMT), both of which consist of representatives from the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC), EASA, the US FAA and Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), are taking steps to mutually recognise each others approved organisations.
The UK Government has published updated guidance for the aerospace sector and is preparing for EU Exit[3]. Clearly more import-export agents are going to be needed in the coming years. Everyone is preparing for the commercial impacts on all the sectors of the aviation industry. The political and economic uncertainty continues to be unsettling.
Despite all the preparations that have been made, the EU’s European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has warned that a No-Deal Brexit could “jeopardise” aviation safety standards[4]. That said, current No-Deal Brexit proposals are just temporary solutions. Only a comprehensive EU-UK agreement will ensure the seamless air connectivity air travelers have come to expect.
[1] https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uk-and-usa-sign-safety-accord-to-apply-in-event-of-n-456652/
[2] https://www.caa.co.uk/News/UK-signs-post-EU-exit-air-safety-agreements-with-USA/
[3] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-aerospace-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit?
[4] https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/news/no-deal-brexit-could-‘jeopardise’-eu-aviation-safety-standards
John Vincent 