Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 February 2008 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency, and repealing Council Directive 91/670/EEC, Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002 and Directive 2004/36/EC^f1, and in particular Article 7(6) thereof,

Whereas:

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011^f2 lays down technical requirements for the certification of flight simulation training devices, the certification of pilots involved in the operation of certain aircraft, and the certification of persons and organisations involved in the pilot training, testing and checking.

Following ramp inspections outside the territory of the Member States, when flight crew members were found to be operating aircraft registered in a Member State other than the Member State that had issued their pilot licences, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) amended Annex 1 to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation in order to facilitate the automatic validation of licences through Regional Safety Oversight Organizations' agreements.

That amendment should be reflected in Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 so as to allow for the automatic validation of Union flight crew licences in third countries. In accordance with Amendment 174 to ICAO Annex 1, point 1.2.2.3.2.1, there should be a transitional period to allow for the necessary changes to be made to existing pilot licences.

Since the entry into force of Annex I (Part-FCL) to Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, which was drafted on the basis of the conditions laid down in Joint Aviation Requirements Flight Crew Licensing 1 (JAR-FCL 1), the Union is pursuing a more competency-based approach to ensure the implementation of proportionate and performance-based requirements for flight crew licences. Therefore, the take-off and landing training requirement during the advanced phase of a multi-crew pilot licence training course should be amended to align it with the ICAO recommendations in Doc 9868 ‘Procedures for Air Navigation Services — Training’ (PANS-TRG).

The European Aviation Safety Agency submitted draft implementing rules to the Commission together with its Opinion No 16/2016 and Opinion No 03/2017.

Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 should therefore be amended accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 65 of Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: