Originally Posted by
Arthur1815
What grips me is the total lack of EASA contingency on licensing. The UK have very clearly stated that they will grant third country validation for non-UK issued EASA licences to fly G Reg. EASA are refusing to do the same and ignoring the fact that Authorities have drowned under a mountain of applications.
I quite understand the sentiment. But again, the EU, and its agencies, is a deeply rule based system. And in case of a hard brexit the UK is a third country, nothing more, nothing less. Therefore the exact same rules apply to the relationship between the EU and the UK as for example between the EU and Sudan. The EU contingency plans for a hard brexit actually do approve the acceptance of some certificates and licenses, but not aircrew licenses as there is no need for the EU to do so. The EU protects its own interests, and only its own, which does exclude the UK in that case. Responsible airlines have planned for the original brexit day, working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure that the operation can continue, even if a hard brexit would happen, and yes, that does include expedited license transfers. Individual ones might have been put on the backburner for the big businesses, but that is nothing unusual, money talks after all and the licensing authorities in Ireland and Austria for example are companies that have to turn a profit.
That said, EASA does not have the power to approve any third country validation against its own rules (even if it wanted to), that would have to come down from the higher ups, prepared by the commission and voted into law by the european parliament.