The EUROPEAN AOC has been issued to a EUROPEAN air operator, using EUROPEAN registered aircraft and using EUROPEAN licensed pilots who required to have the right to work and live in EUROPE. GSS is 51% British owned (as required by UK law), 49% by Atlas. They have an ACMI contract with a EUROPEAN airline.
The pilots will come from several sources. Ex BA and Virgin 744 licenced pilots will be the majority. The ex Atlas pilots joining GSS are EUROPEAN pilots with EUROPEAN licences who have either transferred or were originally recruited to GSS and have been 'holding' with Atlas waiting for the new company to start. If there are any US licenced pilots, they will be allowed to fly to allow the operation to get underway.
So what is your objection? Is it because you see the formation of a EUROPEAN airline operating in EUROPE a threat to some cosy little operation where US licensed pilots could work overseas. I suspect you are ALPA members, as most of the USA Atlas protagonists seem to be. As such, you should be glad (as IFALPA members) that the priciples of fair union employment have been upheld. The formation of GSS is good news for the members of BALPA who have for so long campaigned for Atlas to stop unfailry employing foreign pilots in Europe.
How would you feel if a European cargo operator such as Cargolux or AFX started an operation in Atlanta? (Academic question, as they would not be allowed to!). GSS is good news for European pilots.