I think the real issue is that the nations operating large scale in the North Sea have built up years of experience in operating in a very specialist environment and have evolved operations to this environment. The main operators are today very safe and have a very high level of competence that should not be taken for granted. A safety and reporting culture and network that extends beyond just the crews and operators. All are involved. Operators work together and have good dialogue together to enhance and promote the safest possible practice. Furthermore direct lines of communication are open with the CAA, Offshore Unions and customers and all other agencies. The risk is that by opening the skies to the anyone with a european AOC we are wiping clean years of development and experience and greatly reducing the levels of supervision and monitoring that gives the high levels of safety we have today. I do not think it is over dramatic to say that this is in direct conflict with much of the safety recommendations and directives that have been promulgated and discussed in the last few years. I am in no doubt that this will lead to are far less controlled and inherently more unsafe method of operating in the offshore environments of the North Sea, Norwegian Sea, and Arctic/Barents Oceans. Effectively there is nothing stopping an individual customer hiring a company from Hungary with no offshore experience, coastline or local knowledge, an unknown and unchecked safety and training programme operating in an entirely unfamiliar environment, to transport said customers passengers in Norway. I mean no disrespect to Hungary. It could be any other nation, but the point is the knowledge base is present and best in the operating countries own operators. They know the environment, culture, language, challenges and pitfalls through many years of learning. This cannot be transferred overnight. This will almost certainly be driven by price and in todays environment of cost cutting how far will they go in further cutting best and safe practice? Once it starts it will be increasingly difficult for the major operating companies to continue to conduct business with the present day safety culture. I am astounded by EASA and European naivety and over simplistic views. After the last accident in the North Sea many new directives and recommendations were suggested and undoubtedly lessons were learnt. EASA seems to have very little concern for this and is in many ways seeking to directly oppose all the progress that has been made in the last few years. The race to the bottom is in its warm up phase. If we let it go ahead, the whistle is blown and there is only one way to go. The days of an expected level safe transport for offshore workers will be over for good.