Thanks for the info, Grandpa. It is always helpful to understand why something has come about, even if you don’t entirely agree with it.
Following your explanation would there be any difficulty in France applying what they have decided is best to pilots under their control (pilots working for a French based company)? and accepting EU agreed policies for everybody else? I am sure that in the “old days” countries respected each other’s regulations. For instance I seem to recall that Air Lanka had an age limit of 62. So an Air Lanka captain could keep going a little longer, and surely fly anywhere Air Lanka chose to send him. I am not sure of my facts here so please correct me if necessary.