Brussels reaffirms post-Brexit stance on airline ownership rules

Europe's transport chief has warned airlines that they must face up to their obligations to overhaul share-ownership structures in order to continue qualifying for single-market flying rights after Brexit. Adina Valean, the EU’s transport commissioner, said that Brussels would maintain its strict rules requiring airlines to be effectively owned and controlled by EU nationals if they wanted to retain operating licences to fly in the bloc after January 1 2021. The rules have implications for how aviation giants navigate Brexit as UK shareholders will no longer count as EU nationals.  Airlines that fail to be at least 50% owned by EU nationals risk losing their operating licences, relinquishing extensive flight privileges enjoyed in the single market, and having to rely on agreements other countries have with the bloc to try to preserve basic access. Valean called on airlines to draw up “honest” plans that prove compliance with the rules. She said it was the job of national regulators to vet whether airlines still qualified for a licence, but that the EC would use its investigatory powers if other airlines or member states complained to Brussels that a company was breaking the rules. “We are counting on the national authorities to carry out due diligence on this,” said the Romanian commissioner. If an airline believes that “some other airlines are not complying with this obligation, then they can complain to the commission”, she said. “We are going to look very carefully and would like to see compliance, not only nominally but effectively too.” Story has more details.<br/>