Not surprising that BALPA effectively killed the idea. Most pilots consider themselves the only professionals in the industry, and to admit that Ops staff are professional in their own right as well as actually having some responsibility for the safe conduct of the operation would be a great blow to their usually over sensitive egos.
Ops staff must eventually be licenced in a similar manner to the USA FAA system, but there must be an effective education of the airlines first as their support in the matter is vital.
Then we will get the old question of who controls the licence, government or airline and it will be all too difficult and fall in a heap again.
It's up to us, ladies and gents, to fight for it and make employers/government/EEC listen to our very valid points.
However, the bottom line will be,as usual, profit margin and the bean counters will correctly assume that professionally qualified Ops staff will demand a professional salary and they will squash it regardless of the benefits that will accrue over time.
Doc C