AOC PROCESS
Im not privy to ICAO requirements for the issue of an AOC, but I can definately say without a shadow of doubt that the process is very long, involved costly and quite demanding, having been on the receiving end myself in the recent past.They are quite hard too when it comes to operating rules (in my personal experience), and dont let you get away with much when you try to "interpret" their various rules.
The bottom line is safety.Should Canada now be downgraded due to the Air Canada A320 crash? Shouldnt Germany be downgraded now due to the horrific A320 smash? How about UK too since we now know about a BA 744 Captain wanting to crash his plane after a murder? Food for thought.