Council Directive 91/670/EEC of 16 December 1991 on mutual acceptance of personnel licences for the exercise of functions in civil aviation

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 16  December 1991 on mutual acceptance of personnel licences for the exercise of functions in civil  aviation (91/670/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article  84 (2) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),
Whereas the existence in sufficient numbers of cockpit personnel holding the necessary  qualifications and licences is vital for the smooth and safe running of air transport services;
Whereas also the completion of the internal market by the end of 1992 requires the existence of an  efficient air transport system in order to facilitate the movement of persons within the  Community;
Whereas air transport is a highly dynamic and rapidly developing sector of a particularly  international character; whereas, therefore, the balance between supply and demand in personnel can  be maintained more efficiently at the Community than the national level;
Whereas it is therefore essential that the common transport policy in the field of civil aviation  be extended to facilitate the movement of cockpit personnel within the Community;
Whereas the requirements for licences of cockpit personnel differ between Member States;
Whereas the qualifications required for licences are not at present laid down by the Community;  whereas Member States therefore retain the option of fixing the level of such qualifications with a  view to guaranteeing the safety of services provided by aircraft registered on their territority;  whereas they may not, without infringing their obligations laid down in the Treaty, require a  national of a Member State to obtain those qualifications, which in general they determine solely  by reference to their own national education and training systems, where the person concerned has  already acquired those qualifications in another Member State;
Whereas in order to facilitate compliance with Treaty obligations and to ensure the mobility of  cockpit personnel, a Community procedure should be introduced for the acceptance of licences and  qualifications of such personnel;
Whereas the recognition of private pilots' licences can already be established in all Member  States;
Whereas, if in order to be permitted to operate aircraft registered in a Member State other than  that where they obtained their licence, professional pilots have to be subjected to additional  tests, they should be offered the possibility of sitting such tests as soon as possible;
Whereas training facilities available in Member States are not always commensurate with demand;  whereas in conformity with Article 7 of the Treaty, Member States must admit nationals of other  Member States to public and private training establishments and professional examinations on a  non-discriminatory basis;
Whereas in order to achieve full mutual recognition of licences, the Council will adopt, taking  account of progress reached in the proceedings of international organizations, before 1 January  1993, on a proposal by the Commission to be submitted before 1 July 1992, the measures for  harmonized requirements in respect of licences and training programmes; whereas each Member State  will recognize any licence which satisfies these requirements,