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BackOnly last week, the Transport Committee of the European Parliament rejected a draft proposal by the European Commission, which would have led to a significant deterioration in airline pilots’ standby and working hours. In view of the protests by European Parliament and labour representatives, the Commission has now reacted and reached agreement with the European Transport Workers' Federation on future flight duty times. However, because of the approach by the Commission, many MEPs showed their dissatisfaction.
Following discussions with the Trade Union of the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) hat die Commission has adjusted its draft proposal. According to Commission officials, pilots shall, among other, no longer fly more than 1,000 hours in 12 consecutive months; until now, their maximum number of flying hours was 1,300. Weekly rest is also to be increased, from a day and a half to two days, twice a month. In case of night flights, duty hours shall no longer exceed 11 hours.
Apart from that, the Commission has promised that representatives of the flight personnel will be involved in all future changes. The same would apply to the European Parliament. The European Aviation Safety Agency EASA shall now be obliged to implement a monitoring and research programme for monitoring fatigue in flight crews.
Social Democrats, Greens and European Left against Commission proposal
In spite of the improvements made, in particular representatives of the Social Democrats and the Greens criticised the information policy. “We have received no information as to what the Commission proposal now looks like; we cannot vote on something the content of which we do not know”, said the Greens MEP Eva Lichtenberger in the plenum. Jörg Leichtfried of the Social Democrats criticized that flight duty time at night may be as much as 12.5 hours; the Commission claims it would only be 11 hours. For this reason, either Social Democrats, Greens, or the European Left have agreed to the new Commission proposal. However, the votes of the European People’s Party, the Liberals and the European Conservatives are easily enough for a majority: the MEPs voted with 387:218 in favour for the Implementing Regulation of the Commission.
Based on this result, the Implementing Regulation can come into effect soon; unless the Council rejects the new proposal of the Commission after all. However, this is not to be expected as they already voted with a large majority in favour the original proposal in July - then, only Austria and the Netherlands voted against it.
Also see AK EUROPA article: EU parliamentary committee stops plans for longer working hours for airline pilots
Apart from that, the Commission has promised that representatives of the flight personnel will be involved in all future changes. The same would apply to the European Parliament. The European Aviation Safety Agency EASA shall now be obliged to implement a monitoring and research programme for monitoring fatigue in flight crews.
Social Democrats, Greens and European Left against Commission proposal
In spite of the improvements made, in particular representatives of the Social Democrats and the Greens criticised the information policy. “We have received no information as to what the Commission proposal now looks like; we cannot vote on something the content of which we do not know”, said the Greens MEP Eva Lichtenberger in the plenum. Jörg Leichtfried of the Social Democrats criticized that flight duty time at night may be as much as 12.5 hours; the Commission claims it would only be 11 hours. For this reason, either Social Democrats, Greens, or the European Left have agreed to the new Commission proposal. However, the votes of the European People’s Party, the Liberals and the European Conservatives are easily enough for a majority: the MEPs voted with 387:218 in favour for the Implementing Regulation of the Commission.
Based on this result, the Implementing Regulation can come into effect soon; unless the Council rejects the new proposal of the Commission after all. However, this is not to be expected as they already voted with a large majority in favour the original proposal in July - then, only Austria and the Netherlands voted against it.
Also see AK EUROPA article: EU parliamentary committee stops plans for longer working hours for airline pilots