To answer your previous 2 posts (especially Eurocontrol upholding
its charge).
The
member states of Eurocontrol, as well as some others, have entered an agreement, whereby the
member states recover their service costs by charging the users, and Using Eurocontrol as the recovery means.
Imagine an airline being charged individually by each state of Europe for a flight from EGLL to HECA - a nightmare for airline accounting and the states themselves.
The Central Route Charges Office of Eurocontrol is the means by which these charges are recovered efficiently (for the airlines and for the states), in accordance with rules set by
member states - e.g. UK.
The rules set by
member states are applied to IFR flights above a certain weight category.
By implication the
member states have decided that anyone flying in accordance with these rule (which THEY have set) will be receiving a service (not just airlines).
The
member states notify the CRCO of all flights which are to be billed. Eurococontrol makes the calculation based on the route flown and aircraft type (weight), then sends out a bill (and reminders).
Therefore Eurocontrol billed JohnR because the UK told them he made an IFR flight in an aircraft above a certain weight category.
To emphasise it -
UK set the rules,
UK decided it was an IFR flight and
UK asked for the money to be paid, and
UK will get the money.
Eurocontrol is just a centralised billing service.
If anyone has to justify their fees, then look to the member states - they set the rules, the calculation methods et al.
Hope this is clear enough
GB