UK Parliament Petition Calls for Rejoining EASA and Reciprocal Licensing Agreement

United Kingdom – A UK Parliament petition has been opened calling on the Government to apply to rejoin the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and secure a reciprocal licensing agreement between the UK CAA and EASA, closing on 9 January 2027. The petition frames continued UK-EASA divergence as a direct cost to the airline industry, individual pilots holding stranded EASA licences, and the wider aviation economy — an issue that remains a live constraint on cross-border pilot mobility, training investment decisions at UK ATOs serving European cadets, and the operational planning of airlines and flight schools working across both jurisdictions.

• The petition asks the UK Government to apply to rejoin EASA and obtain reciprocal licensing arrangements to allow the airline industry to grow and to reverse the effects of the UK's departure from the agency.
• The petition states that leaving EASA resulted in confusion over the applicable standards and consequences for pilots including uncertainty over which licence to study for, stress, loss of relationships, severe debt, and reduced cooperation with an agency that continues to regulate aircraft and pilots operating in British sovereign airspace.
• The petitioner argues a reciprocal agreement would allow British pilots holding EASA licences to obtain a UK licence, supporting economic and industry growth.
• The petition closes on 9 January 2027. Under UK parliamentary petition rules, petitions receiving 10,000 signatures require a Government response; petitions reaching 100,000 signatures are considered for debate in Parliament.
• The UK left EASA on 31 December 2020 as a consequence of Brexit, with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) subsequently establishing UK-specific licensing, certification, and airworthiness frameworks. Reciprocity between UK CAA and EASA licences has not been re-established, requiring pilots holding a licence in one jurisdiction to convert to operate under the other.

See the petition here.

Source: UK Parliament