The President of the British Helicopter Association, The Lord Glenarthur, has called on the Government to do all in its power to ensure the voice of the UK’s aviation expertise is not wasted, as the country withdraws from the EU.
Speaking during a House of Lords Debate on Tuesday 5 July, The Lord Glenarthur said, “A reduction in our influence on aviation regulation will be massively detrimental. Our expertise will be missed and its loss much regretted by those EU countries with whom we have worked so closely and for so long.”
He outlined the substantial role the UK has played within European-wide aviation safety and regulatory organisations including its membership of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), through the Civil Aviation Authority.
“We must ensure that the influential and powerful voice of the UK’s aviation expertise and the experience of our own Civil Aviation Authority – and those who work with them – are not wasted or become less influential as we withdraw from the EU”
“The United Kingdom has played a substantial part in getting EASA to a point where it is mature and successful,” he added. “I have had some direct personal experience of that through bodies with which I have been involved over the years. We have brought influence to bear to support sensible progression in regular and sometimes innovative fields of aviation. We support strict safety regulations but we also strive continually to influence the authorities to ensure that regulations are practicable, well thought through and able to maintain the viability of emerging advanced techniques in aviation. However, the United Kingdom, acknowledged as expert in its aviation manufacturing and operating standards and skills, may well not be able to play anything like such an effective part in future, by virtue of its withdrawal. Who knows, we might not ultimately even be a member of EFTA (European Free Trade Association) or the EAA (European Aviation Area) [sic]. Then where would we stand? All I can say is that our withdrawal would be much regretted.”
He called for assurances that, “As part of the withdrawal process, the Government will do all in its power to ensure that the influential and powerful voice of the UK’s aviation expertise and the experience of our own Civil Aviation Authority – and those who work with them – are not wasted or become less influential as we withdraw from the EU. A reduction in our influence on aviation regulation will be massively detrimental. Our expertise will be missed and its loss much regretted by those EU countries with whom we have worked so closely and for so long.”
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