Civil aviation licences

This directive aims to establish a Community procedure for the mutual acceptance of licences and qualifications of persons working in civil aviation in order to ensure that air transport services operate efficiently and safely and to guarantee free movement of these workers throughout the Community.

ACT

Council Directive 91/670/EEC of 16 December 1991 on the mutual acceptance of licences for persons working in civil aviation [Official Journal L 373 of 31.12.1991].

SUMMARY

The Directive applies to procedures for the mutual acceptance of licences issued by the Member States to flight crews in civil aviation.

Description of the conditions under which Member States have to accept licences issued by other Member States, together with the associated privileges and certificates. Holders of private pilot licences may fly aircraft registered in another Member State. This recognition is limited to the exercise of the privileges of the holder of a private pilot's licence and of associated aircraft ratings under visual flight rules (VFR) by day only in an aircraft certificated for single-pilot operations.

A Member State must accept any licence issued by another Member State in accordance with the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, provided that the holder has complied with the special validation requirements described in the annex to the Directive.

The Commission drew up and sent to all Member States a comparative survey of the requirements individuals must meet in order to qualify for licences covering the same activities issued in each Member State to enable the competent authorities to assess the extent to which licences issued by other Member States are the equivalent of their own. Description of the procedure to be followed by a Member State when a licence cannot be accepted because it is not equivalent.

The Directive provides that nationals of all Member States are to be admitted to public and private training institutions and to examinations in any Member State on the same basis as its own nationals.

Member States may choose whether to accept licences issued by Member States on the basis of licences issued by third countries.

As from 7 April 2008, Directive 91/670/EEC will be repealed by Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 which establishes a framework for the definition and implementation of technical rules and common admistrative procedures in the field of civil aviation, and sets up a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). In particular, this Regulation defines the different qualifications required for the allocation of licences for pilots and cabin crew, conditions for their issue, and the privileges and responsibilities of holders of licences.

RELATED ACTS

Opinion 93/245/EEC, Official Journal L 111, 05.05.1993 Commission Opinion of 26 April 1993 concerning the application of article 4(2) of Directive 91/670/EEC on mutual acceptance of personnel licences for the exercise of functions in civil aviation - equivalence of French, Irish and Portuguese pilot licences.

The Opinion was issued following a request by the French authorities regarding equivalence between pilot licences issued by Ireland and Portugal and those issued by France. The Commission considers that an Irish or Portuguese air transport pilot licence may be considered as equivalent to a comparable French licence if it includes a pilot-in-command rating for multi-engined aircraft of more than 5 700 kg (FAR/JAR category 25) or any other aircraft considered as equivalent by the French authorities.

Opinion 93/456/EEC - Official Journal L 213, 24.08.1993 Commission Opinion of 23 July 1993 concerning the application of Article 4(2) of Directive 91/670/EEC on mutual acceptance of personnel licences for the exercise of function in civil aviation - equivalence of United Kingdom, French and Belgian pilot licences.

The Opinion was issued following a request by the French authorities. The Commission considers that Belgian and French pilot licences may be considered equivalent. A United Kingdom licence may also be considered to be equivalent to a comparable French licence if it includes a pilot-in-command rating for multi-engined aircraft of more than 5 700 kg (FAR/JAR 25).

Opinion 93/551/EEC - Official Journal L 267, 28.10.1993 Commission Opinion of 5 October 1993 concerning the application of Article 4(2) of Directive 91/670/EEC on mutual acceptance of personnel licences for the exercise of functions in civil aviation - equivalence of Belgian and United Kingdom pilot licences. This Opinion was issued following a request by the Belgian authorities regarding the equivalence of pilot licences issued by Belgium and the United Kingdom. The Commission considers a United Kingdom pilot licence may be considered equivalent to a comparable licence issued in Belgium if it includes a pilot-in-command rating for multi-engined aircraft of more than 5 700 kg (JAR 25).

Opinion 93/565/EC - Official Journal L 273, 05.11.1993 Commission Opinion of 4 November 1993 concerning the application of Article 4 (2) of Council Directive 91/670/EEC on mutual acceptance of personnel licences for the exercise of functions in civil aviation - equivalence of a Dutch professional pilot (B3) licence and a German airline transport pilot (A2) licence.

Last updated: 31.10.2008