tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91479237191285683532024-02-08T19:12:21.394+02:00Flight lawsNews and comments on flights, aviation and space transportation, industry developments, consumer protection and similar issues from a legal perspective and many more…Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-28582885214323778472018-11-19T15:04:00.001+02:002018-11-19T15:04:34.060+02:00Indication of air fares under EU law: CJEU rules on the appropriate currency<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) has ruled that air carriers have to indicate air fares for intra-EU flights in the currency of either the place of departure or the place of destination of the particular flight.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The case concerned a lawsuit in Germany of a consumer-protection organization against a German air carrier. The carrier offers flights, among others, from Germany to the UK and indicates the price of the tickets (air fares) in pounds sterling (GBP). The claimant argued that prices should be indicated at least also in Euro.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The CJEU referred to Arts 23(1) and 2(18) of <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02008R1008-20180911&qid=1542632080599&from=EN">Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008</a> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">on common rules for the operation of air services in the Community. Art. 23(1) provides that the final price of air fares must be indicated at all times during the booking process, while Art. 2(18) clarifies that ‘air fares’ means the prices expressed in euro or in local currency to be paid to air carriers or their agents or other ticket sellers for the carriage of passengers. Subsequently, the Court underlined that the objective of the Regulation is to enable passengers compare effectively the prices of air services and promote competition among air carriers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">According to the court, such objective requires that prices are indicated in a currency objectively linked to the flight in question. Such is the currency of the place of departure or the place of arrival of the flight. Therefore, air carriers may display their air fares in a currency other than the Euro, provided that this is the local currency of the place of departure or arrival of the flight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">You can find the judgment <a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf;jsessionid=057BCDCBF20A5FD0346DE1188B865D29?text=&docid=207784&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=req&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=4244643">here</a> and the Court’s press release <a href="https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2018-11/cp180176en.pdf">here</a>.</span></div>
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Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-19262621738646184532018-09-23T19:01:00.002+03:002018-09-23T19:01:35.133+03:00EU261 and prohibition of claim assignment: German Regional Court finds clause unfair<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Regional Court (Landesgericht) of Nuremberg-Fuerth in Germany found unfair a clause in the general terms and conditions of an airline that prohibits the assignment of claims under <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1537705163660&uri=CELEX:32004R0261">Regulation 261/2004</a> (EU261) to claims handling companies. </span><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">According to the <a href="https://www.justiz.bayern.de/gerichte-und-behoerden/oberlandesgerichte/nuernberg/presse/2018/29.php">Court’s press release</a> (in German), the Court, acting as a Court of Appeal, upheld the interpretation adopted in three previous judgments of the County Court (Amtsgericht) of Nuremberg, according to which the prohibition of assignment of EU261 claims to legal entities is an unfair contractual term under <a href="https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_bgb/englisch_bgb.html#p0939">s. 307 (1) of the German Civil Code</a>, which transposes the respective provisions of European <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:01993L0013-20111212&qid=1537704650193&from=EN">Directive 93/13/EEC</a>. Both Courts accepted that on the one hand, prohibition of assignment facilitates the settlement of claims, because it renders more transparent the pertinent procedure and reduces the airline’s administrative burden, as the airline had argued. On the other hand, the prohibition of assignment entails for passengers potential difficulties in claiming compensation by depriving them of the possibility to entrust an experienced company therewith. Therefore, a balance of interests has to be undertaken. The Courts found that in such cases the passengers’ interests to compensation are superior of those of the airline. It was found that the airline gave no compelling reasons as to why the assignment of claims to legal entities causes a greater administrative burden compared to the (permitted) assignment to natural persons, whereas passengers should retain their freedom to decide on how to pursue best their legal rights.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Nevertheless, other courts in Germany have ruled against the unfairness of such terms, judging that the airline has a legitimate interest to limit the procedural possibilities of the passengers, while the term is not disproportionate, as it is limits and does not exclude such possibilities.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It is quite likely that the issue will be judged by the Federal German Supreme Court (BGH) one day. In a case involving prohibition of assignment of travellers’claims against a tour operator, the BGH <a href="http://juris.bundesgerichtshof.de/cgi-bin/rechtsprechung/document.py?Gericht=bgh&Art=en&Datum=Aktuell&Sort=12288&nr=60537&pos=10&anz=645">found the term unfair</a>. Whether the Supreme Court will adopt the same view as to the clause under discussion remains to be seen.</span></div>
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Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-82660224571042112612018-09-17T20:14:00.002+03:002018-09-17T20:14:41.622+03:00EU261: CJEU on ticket price to be reimbursed<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) has ruled that in case that passengers are entitled to reimbursement of the price of their ticket under <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32004R0261&qid=1537204302027&from=EN">Regulation (EC) No 261/2004</a>, then such price comprises also the commission of the intermediary, if the air carrier knew about the commission. </span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The case involved tickets bought by a passenger through the website <i>opodo.de</i> to fly with his family with Vueling Airlines from Hamburg (DE) to Faro (PT) via Barcelona (ES). The claimant paid € 1108.88 for the tickets, yet opodo.de transferred € 1031.88 to the airline, the rest of the amount being its commission. The flight was cancelled and the claimant asked the full amount he had been invoiced to be returned. Nevertheless, the airline transferred only the amount it had itself received from the website, excluding the website’s commission.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The CJEU referred to the wording of Art. 8(1)(a) of the Regulation, ‘reimbursement … of the full cost of the ticket at the price at which it was bought’ and indicated that the commission of an agent is part of the ticket price. Nevertheless, to strike a balance of interests between passengers and airlines, the Court observed, it must be accepted that the airline has no duty to return the agent’s commission, if it had no knowledge that such commission had been added to the ticket price.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You can find the judgment <a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=205608&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=req&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=226583">here</a>. </span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-5614199182005208762017-12-16T13:37:00.001+02:002017-12-16T13:37:47.770+02:00Galileo - one step closer to full operational capability<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Four more Galileo
satellites were launched on an Ariane 5 launcher from Guyana Space Centre in
Kourou, French Guyana, on 12 December 2017 at 18:36 UTC. This launch brings the
Galileo system to 22 satellites, with one more launch remaining before the constellation
reaches completion.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">For the first time,
the European GNSS Agency (GSA) has been responsible for the Launch and Early
Orbit Phase (LEOP) of this space mission following the </span><a href="https://www.gsa.europa.eu/newsroom/news/gsa-takes-its-responsibilities-galileo" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">handover
to the GSA</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> of the responsibility for Galileo operations and service
provision on July 1, 2017. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The GSA will
be overseeing Spaceopal Gmbh in their </span><a href="https://www.gsa.europa.eu/newsroom/news/gsa-signs-galileo-service-operator-contract" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">new
role as Galileo Service Operator</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">. The European Space Agency will maintain
an advisory role.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This launch is anticipated to enhance the
global availability of navigation signals. Galileo began Initial Services just
under a year ago, on December 15, 2016. Speaking at the launch event, GSA
Executive Director Carlo des Dorides <a href="https://www.gsa.europa.eu/newsroom/news/new-galileo-quartet-successfully-launched">said</a>:
“<i>Today’s successful launch is another
positive step forward for Galileo and the GSA. The fact that leaders from five
of the world’s major chipset and receiver manufacturers attended the launch for
the first time is testament to the growing industry support and confidence
being placed in Galileo and a realisation of what it has to offer the market</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The next Galileo launch is scheduled to take
place in 2018, with an Ariane 5 launcher carrying another four Galileo
satellites (two satellites to complete the constellation and two orbit spares).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">You can find more at ESA’s <a href="http://www.esa.int/For_Media/Press_Releases/Galileo_launch_brings_navigation_network_close_to_completion">press
release</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Konstantina Liperihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00470782980251410027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-91265632280509863252017-12-07T19:39:00.001+02:002017-12-07T19:40:04.491+02:00ESA transfers ownership of satellite ground tracking stations<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The European Space Agency (ESA)
transferred the ownership of three satellite ground tracking stations to
national organisations in Spain and Portugal.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Two
of the stations were situated in Spain, at Maspalomas and near Madrid, and one
in Australia, Perth. All stations were equipped with a 15m antenna, suitable for
Near-Earth-Orbit (NEO) operations. With the exception of the station in
Maspalomas, Spain, they were no longer operational. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The station in Australia
was dismantled and shipped to Santa Maria island in Azores. Its frequency
license in Australia had been withdrawn since 2015 and the station was about to
be torn down and disposed of. Instead of this, however, ESA accepted the offer
of the Portuguese government to buy and take over the station.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
stations in Spain will remain in their current locations and be operated by </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Spain’s
National Institute of Aerospace Technology.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
transfer of ownership enables ESA to concentrate on the operation of its
deep-space stations and a select group of four other stations, while valuable
hardware will remain in use for the benefit of commercial users and ESA itself
as a customer. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You
can find more at the </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Operations/Estrack/Transferring_ownership_of_three_ESA_ground_stations"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">ESA press release</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.</span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-91736471090385757052017-12-07T19:32:00.001+02:002017-12-08T17:36:15.464+02:00MC99: German Supreme Court annuls CA judgment that rejected passenger claim who slipped on passenger bridge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
German Supreme Court (BGH) annulled and remanded a judgment of the Court of Appeal
(CA) of </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Düsseldorf </span>that rejected a claim of a passenger who slipped on the
passenger bridge during the disembarkation process.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
passenger had booked a flight from Düsseldorf to Hamburg. As he was stepping in the passenger boarding bridge, he slipped on a wet point and suffered patella fracture. He sued claiming
compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and mental injury, according
to Art. 17(1) of the <a href="https://www.iata.org/policy/Documents/MC99_en.pdf">1999
Montreal Convention</a> and Arts 1 and 3 of the <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:01997R2027-20020530&qid=1512667095317&from=EN">Regulation
(EC) No 2027/1997</a>, which incorporates the MC into EU law regarding
passenger and baggage claims. The Court of First Instance and the CA of </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Düsseldorf </span>rejected his claim on the grounds that his injury was not the outcome of a risk
inherent to air travel. According to established German case law on the 1999 MC
(and its predecessor the 1929 Warsaw Convention), passenger injuries caused by an
“accident” under Art. 17(1) MC are compensated, only if the accident was caused
by a risk inherent to air travel (Luftfahrtbezogenheit). Otherwise, the
passenger may be entitled to compensation under domestic law.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
BGH annulled the appellate judgment, underlining that Art. 17(1) MC covers
accidents that occur also during embarkation and disembarkation. An accident at the passenger
bridge under the circumstances of the case, falls under this category and is
due to inherent risks of air travel<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>. Therefore, the case
was remanded to the CA to further clarify the facts of the case, especially if
there was comparative negligence of the passenger.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
full text of the judgment has not been published yet. An official press release
(in German) can be found <a href="http://juris.bundesgerichtshof.de/cgi-bin/rechtsprechung/document.py?Gericht=bgh&Art=en&sid=774b78b66802a263cec3d1a1b7140dff&nr=80094&linked=pm&Blank=1">here</a>.</span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-30506274648016500592017-11-19T21:29:00.001+02:002017-11-20T10:36:39.249+02:00German district court rejects discrimination claim brought by Israeli passenger against Kuwait Airways for denied boarding<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The District
Court of Frankfurt ruled that Kuwait Airways was entitled to refuse boarding
to an Israeli passenger because of his nationality, based on a Kuwaiti law that
bans contracts with Israeli nationals. The judgment is subject to appeal. </span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The claimant
had bought a ticket from Kuwait Airways for a flight from Frankfurt to Bangkok
via Kuwait City. However, once the passenger notified his nationality to the
airline, the airline denied his boarding to the flight and offered him to fully
cover the cost of his transportation to Bangkok with another carrier. The
denial was based on a Kuwaiti law of 1964, which prohibits, upon heavy
penalties, Kuwaiti nationals from entering into contract with Israeli
nationals. The passenger declined the offer, insisting that the airline should transport
him as contractually agreed.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The passenger
brought a claim against the airline before the District Court of Frankfurt (LG
Frankfurt) for breach of contract and discrimination. The Court held in its
judgment (Docket No. 2-24 O 37/17) that there was a legal impossibility of contractual
performance on the part of the airline, because of the heavy fines and
sentences foreseen in the Kuwaiti law for violations of its provisions: it would be unreasonable (unzumutbar) to demand performance from the airline under such circumstances. In
addition, §19(1) of <a href="https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/agg/BJNR189710006.html">German Act on
Equal Treatment</a> (AGG) prohibited discrimination based on race, ethnic
origin or religion, but not on nationality.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The judgment
has been heavily criticized (see e.g. <a href="https://thelawfareproject.org/sad-day-for-germany-frankfurt-district-court-rules-in-favor-of-kuwait-airways-anti-israeli-discrimination/">here</a>)
and rightly so. The German court, when interpreting §19(1) AGG, failed to take
into account overarching fundamental human rights provisions on prohibition of
discrimination based on nationality, such as Art. 3(3) <a href="https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/">German Constitution</a>,
Art. 14 of the <a href="http://www.echr.coe.int/Documents/Convention_ENG.pdf">European
Convention on Human Rights</a>, Art. 21 of the <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:12012P/TXT&from=EN">EU
Charter of Fundamental Rights</a>, Art. 2 of the <a href="http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/">UN Universal
Declaration of Human Rights</a>, etc. Instead, the Court chose to interpret
narrowly §19(1) of the AGG tacitly accepting that discrimination based on
nationality could not be covered by the terms ‘race’ or ‘ethnic origin’. Concerning
contractual performance, even if Kuwaiti law was applicable to the contract,
the Court ought to have denied its application, given the above-mentioned
human-rights provisions, pursuant to the provisions of <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32008R0593&from=EN">Regulation
(EC) No 593/2008 on the law applicable to contractual obligations (Rome I)</a>,
i.e. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Art. 9 on overriding mandatory
provisions of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lex fori</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and Art. 21 on the forum’s public policy. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The plaintiff’s
lawyer <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/germany-court-kuwait-airways/german-court-rules-kuwait-airline-is-allowed-to-ban-israelis-idUSL1N1NM1NJ">stated
that his client will appeal the judgment</a>. The full text of the judgment has
not been published yet, but the Court has issued a press release (available <a href="https://lg-frankfurt-justiz.hessen.de/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/slimp.CMReader/HMdJ_15/LG_Frankfurt_Internet/med/ea7/ea760dc8-a30a-bf51-d064-8712ae8bad54,22222222-2222-2222-2222-222222222222,true">here</a>
in German).</span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-58698907282312362412017-10-11T18:42:00.000+03:002017-10-15T21:05:04.920+03:00EU 261: German Supreme Court rules on liability for delay of re-routing flight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The German
Supreme Court (BGH) ruled that an operating carrier could be liable, under <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32004R0261&rid=1">Regulation
(EC) No 261/2004</a>, for cancelling its initial flight, if the re-routing
flight offered is delayed, with the result that the passengers reach delayed
their final destination, even if the re-routing flight is operated by another
carrier.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The claimants had
booked a flight, to fly from Frankfurt to Sydney via Singapore. Both legs of
the flight were to be operated by the same carrier. The flight of the first leg
(Frankfurt-Singapore) was cancelled on the day of departure, so the initial carrier offered re-routing
with another operating carrier, under Art. 5(1)(c)(iii) of the Regulation
261/2004. The re-routing flight was scheduled to depart from Frankfurt at about
the same time and reach Singapore at about the same time as the flight canceled.
However, the re-routing flight departed with 16 hours delay, so the claimants reached
their final destination with 23 hours delay. The claimants sued for
compensation of 600€ each, under Arts 5(1)(c)(iii) and 7(1) of the Regulation.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The court of
first instance rejected the claim, but in appeal the claimants prevailed. The defendants
applied to the German Supreme Court (BGH) for cassation, yet the cassation was
rejected. The BGH found that the operating carrier is liable under the
Regulation, if the re-routing flight offered, even if operated by another
carrier, fails to enable the passengers to reach their final destination in time,
i.e. with less than two hours delay, as foreseen by Art. 5(1)(c)(iii) of the
Regulation. According to the judgment, in view of the Regulation’s purpose to
protect the passengers, it is irrelevant if the passengers are entitled to
compensation by the operating carrier of the re-routing flight, because such
possibility may not always be open to the passengers.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The judgment seems, at least, confusing.
The Regulation clearly imposes liability on the carrier that operates the flight
in question, according to Art. 3(5) thereof. If a flight is cancelled, then its operating carrier should offer reasonable re-routing, to allow passengers to make other arrangements (recital 12 of the Regulation) - failure to do so results in its liability according to Arts 5(1)(c) and 7(1) of the Regulation. Nonetheless, the BGH appears to
blur the liability of the initial/ scheduled operating carrier with the liability
of the operating carrier of the re-routing flight, assigning to the former the
role of the guarantor of the performance of the latter. Moreover, the judgment
gives the impression of not precluding passengers from claiming compensation twice: once from
the scheduled operating carrier for cancellation, and once from the operating
carrier of the re-routing flight for delay (although the amounts to be claimed
may differ, depending on the final destination of each flight). The text of the
judgment (X ZR 73/16) has not been published yet; however, the BGH has issued a <a href="http://juris.bundesgerichtshof.de/cgi-bin/rechtsprechung/document.py?Gericht=bgh&Art=en&sid=6e7308b260f6e5eef8306d4a36e&Fehler=Das+gew%FCnschte+Dokument+konnte+leider+nicht+in+der+Datenbank+gefunden+werden.+Eventuell+steht+es+noch+nicht+oder+nicht+mehr+zur+Verf%FCgung.&nr=79719&linked=pm&Blank=1">press release</a> (in German).</span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-58018798620916549322017-03-10T15:04:00.000+02:002017-03-12T10:43:15.048+02:00German court finds airline price-adjustment clause unfair<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In a recent judgment, the
Court of first instance of Berlin (LG Berlin) fined Air Berlin for using an
unfair price-adjustment clause in its contracts, in legal proceedings initiated
by the Federal German Consumer Protection Association (VZBV). The judgment is <span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">appealable</span>.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
text of the clause is the following:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“4.1.2
Changes to the air fare after the time of contracting are permissible in the
event of changes in fuel costs, changes to or the imposition of
aviation-specific levies (taxes, charges, contributions, special levies or
other aviation-specific levies for certain services), aviation-specific
charges, emission certificate costs or exchange-rate fluctuations of at least
10% of the individual fare if a period in excess of four months has elapsed
since the time of contracting and the agreed travel date, and if the Airline notified
the booking party accordingly without delay on receipt of such information and
the Airline had no influence on such change at the time of contracting. In the
event of a seat-related increase in costs of carriage (e.g. fuel costs), the
Airline may demand payment of the increased amount; otherwise the additional
costs of carriage shall be divided by the number of the seats on the aircraft
and the resultant increase applied as a charge to each individual seat. If
charges payable by the Airline, such as airport charges, are increased, the
price of the flight may in turn be increased by the appropriate proportionate
amount. In the event of a change in exchange rates after the Contract of
Carriage has been concluded, the price of the flight may be increased in line
with the amount by which carriage has become more expensive for the Airline. A
price increase may only be demanded up to 21 days before the agreed departure
date. If the price increases applied after conclusion of the contract amount to
more than 5 % of the total flight price, the booking party is entitled to
withdraw from the contract without incurring any expense. In the event of a
reduction or cancellation of taxes, charges, or costs, the surplus amount is
refunded or deducted, as applicable. With respect to travel to or from the
U.S., increases in the airfare after contract conclusion may be imposed only
for increases in government-imposed taxes or fees provided that written consent
for such potential increases was obtained from the booking party at the time of
contract conclusion by checking the opt-in box on the booking site.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
Court found that the clause leads to an unacceptable reduction of the consumers’
contractual rights, in violation of the principle <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pacta sunt servanda</i>. The clause foresees a price increase in case
that the airline costs increase, which favors the airline, without foreseeing a
price decrease if the airline costs sink, which would favor consumers. In addition,
the clause shifts to consumers the market risk of the airline, especially regarding
changes in the exchange rate. The fact that consumers can withdraw from the
contract if the price increase exceeds 5% plays no role, according to the
Court, because passengers may encounter significant difficulties in finding an alternative
flight for the same date against a comparable price. Furthermore, the Court
found no legitimate reason for the different terms foreseen regarding flights
to the US.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Besides,
the Court found the clause to be intransparent, too complicated and very difficult
for consumers to understand its meaning. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As a
result the Court fined Air Berlin with 250.000 €. Air Berlin has the right to
appeal the judgment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">You
can find the text of the judgment <a href="http://www.vzbv.de/sites/default/files/downloads/2017/03/07/air_berlin_lg_berlin_stornierung_und_nichtantritt.pdf">here</a>,
while <a href="http://www.vzbv.de/pressemitteilung/preisanpassungsklausel-von-air-berlin-ist-ungueltig">here</a>
is the relative press communication of the VZBV (both in German).</span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-83296462639760934612017-01-07T11:20:00.004+02:002017-01-07T11:21:24.067+02:00UAS: Greek law enters into force<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On
1.1.2017 entered into force the Greek law on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), which
is the Decision of the Director of the Greek Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) No </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Δ</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">/</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ΥΠΑ</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">/21860/1422. The Decision
applies to all UAS that fly within Greek airspace or within international
airspace, but inside the Flight Information Region (FIR) / Upper Information
Region (UIR) of Greece. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Implementing
legislative measures of the Decision are pending, which means that details on
the application of its provisions are not yet known.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, many provisions of the Decision
are based on the <a href="https://www.easa.europa.eu/system/files/dfu/UAS%20Prototype%20Regulation%20final.pdf" target="_blank">Prototype Commission Regulation on Unmanned AircraftOperations</a> published by EASA on 22 August 2016 for consultation purposes. This
is an additional hurdle to the implementation of the Decision, since this EASA
Prototype Regulation has not entered into force and contains rules on areas
that belong to the competence of the EU, such as product safety rules.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I. UAS classification and
operational requirements</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Decision distinguishes among three categories of UAS, according to their
specifications and the types of operations they will be involved in: Open
Category, Specific Category and Certified Category. The CAA classifies the UAS
into the appropriate category after examining the application for registration
of the UAS. The Decision does not apply to model aircraft. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">1) Open Category</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Open Category comprises UAS with Maximum Take Off Mass (MTOM) up to 25kg, which
fly in Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) of their remote pilot and at a distance of
less than 500m. They are allowed to fly at a maximum altitude of 400 ft above
ground level or above mean sea level.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">UAS
of the open category may not fly above crowds, unless their pilots have a
professional license with endorsement for flights above crowds and they carry
extra safety mechanisms, such as parachutes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If
the remote piloting range exceeds 50m, the UAS, its owner, its operator and its
remote pilot have to register by electronic means (fax, e-mail) to special
registries of the CAA. If the UAS serves commercial purposes or is custom made
(not off-the-shelf), a special certificate of airworthiness is required for
registration, which can be issued by the CAA. In this case, they must also
submit a flight plan before each flight. In addition, operators and remote
pilots have to report to the CAA any case of theft or destruction of the UAS,
as well as any malfunctions and incidents that caused or could have caused
serious injury or death of a person.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">UAS
of the Open Category are distinguished into three subcategories:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(a) CAT A0 or mini UAS,
which comprises UAS with MTOM of less than 1kg.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(b) CAT A1 or very small
UAS, which comprises UAS with MTOM between 1kg and less than 4kg. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(c) CAT A2 or small UAS,
which comprises UAS with MTOM between 4kg and less than 25kg. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">UAS
of the A1 and A2 categories have to be equipped with geo-fencing technology and
abide by the general product safety rules. The competence to establish such
product safety rules belongs to the EU and, so far, no rules have been established.
Registration of UAS of these categories requires a special certificate of
airworthiness, which can be issued by the CAA. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Furthermore,
UAS of the A2 Open Category need to insured against third party liability for
aggregate claims of up to € 1.000.000 for personal injuries and up to € 150.000
for property damage. Remote pilots of this category need to have a special
license, which is issued upon following conditions:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(a) Recent experience in UAS
flights, after successful completion of 4 take-offs and landing in the presence
of a certified CAA instructor,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(b) very good knowledge of
the Greek language, at the equivalent of a junior high school graduate,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(c) theoretical aviation
knowledge certificate</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(d) practical examination
before a certified instructor.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2) Specific Category</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Specific Category comprises UAS that can entail significant risks for persons
below the UAS. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They
require an Operation Authorization which is granted after the UAS operator
submits to the CAA a risk assessment, an operations manual and proof of
insurance coverage.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
risk assessment should contain all risks connected to the flight and the
appropriate mitigation measures.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If
UAS of the specific category are used for commercial purposes, the Decision
foresees registration of the UAS, the operator and the remote pilot in special
registries, as well as a special flight permit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Remote
pilots of this category need to have a special license.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 14.4pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Certified category</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Certified
Category comprises UAS which operate in a manner similar to manned aircraft
and, therefore, pose similar risks. Flights of the UAS of the certified
category are allowed under strict conditions, similar to the ones in force for
manned aircraft. The requirements include a Restricted Type Certificate; a Special
Certificate of Airworthiness; registration of the UAS, the owner, the operator
and the remote pilot; a Remoted Operations Certificate, a condition of which is
the preparation and approval of a Safety Management System; professional
training of the remote pilot; surface-collision and aircraft-collision
avoidance systems; insurance coverage.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">II. Conditions for UAS
flights</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In
general, UAS pilots are responsible for the safe operation of UAS and for
maintaining safe distance from persons and property on the surface of the
Earth. UAS flights within VLOS must be conducted not farther than 500m from the
pilot, from half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset. UAS
flights with Extended Visual Line of Sight (EVLOS), i.e. flights in which
visual contact is maintained either through a camera on the aircraft or with
the aid of another physical person (observer), are allowed from half an hour
before sunrise until half an hour after sunset, at a maximum distance from the
pilot as defined by the FAA case by case.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Remote
pilots must provide the CAA with immediate contact data, such as their mobile
phone number. Furthermore, they have to report to the CAA any safety-related
incidents that caused or could have caused serious injury or death of a person.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To
the rest, there are following special conditions.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">1) Entry into special
UAS registry</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If
a UAS operates at a distance of more than 50m from the remote pilot, then the
UAS specifications together with identification data of the remote pilot, the
operator and the owner of the UAS have to be registered with the CAA.
Furthermore, a description of the UAS operations should be sent to the CAA, so
that the CAA can determine the applicable operational category of the UAS.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2) Operational
Capability</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For
UAS of the Open Category, the manufacturer has to provide a declaration of
conformity on the general product safety, in accordance with the EU
legislation. Nevertheless, product safety rules for UAS are not in force yet,
because they have not been fully developed yet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3)
Submission of flight plan</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A
flight plan should be submitted to the CAA before each flight at a distance of
more than 50m. from the remote pilot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">4) Permit for
airspace use</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">UAS
flights are only allowed in (temporary) segregated airspace, i.e. airspace reserved
exclusively or temporarily only for specific users. Such airspace is mainly the
airspace below 400 ft, the airspace above 46.000 ft and the airspace defined
with special decisions of the Greek CAA. These flights do not require a special
permit from the CAA.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A
special flight permit in required for flights </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 21.55pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">- at a distance
smaller than 8km from an airport perimeter and from airport take-off and
landing tracks, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 21.55pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">- in prohibited or
restricted areas. Prohibited are the areas in which no aircraft may fly, while
restricted are the areas in which flights must be conducted within specific
limitations</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 21.55pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">-above 400 ft,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 14.4pt; margin-right: 21.6pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">-
within temporary segregated Areas and provided that the UAS uses geo-fencing
technologies.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 14.4pt; margin-right: 21.6pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">5) UAS pilots</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Remote
pilots of the Specific and Certified categories, as well as of professional
flights of the Open Category, must have a special UAS pilot license.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Such
license is issued mainly upon following conditions: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(a) class 3 Medical Fitness
certificate, equivalent to the medical fitness requirements for air traffic
controllers,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(b) recent experience in UAS
flights, after successful completion of 4 take-offs and landing in the presence
of a certified CAA instructor,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(c) very good knowledge of
the Greek language, at the equivalent of a junior high school graduate,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(d) sufficient knowledge of
the English language, ICAO English proficiency standard levels 4 or higher,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(e) theoretical aviation
knowledge certificate</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(f) practical examination
before a certified instructor</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 14.2pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(g) minimum age 18 years.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Remote
pilots must provide the CAA with immediate contact data, such as their mobile
phone number. Furthermore, they have to report to the CAA any safety-related
incidents that caused or could have caused serious injury or death of a person.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">6) Insurance coverage</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Insurance
coverage must be in place for € 1.000.000 regarding personal injuries and €
150.000 regarding property damage. Such duty applies to following flights:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 18.0pt; margin-right: 13.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">a. all flights of the
Specific and Certified Categories,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 18.0pt; margin-right: 13.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">b. flights
of the A2 Open Category and all commercial flights of the Open Category.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">7) Special
endorsement and incorporation of flight safety technologies for flights above
crowds</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As a
rule, UAS of the open category and UAS used for non-professional purposes may
not fly above people and crowds, unless their remote pilots have a professional
license with a special endorsement and the aircraft incorporate special safety
mechanisms, such as parachutes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">8) Identification and
collision avoidance</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
registration number of each UAS should be displayed on a plate on board the
aircraft or be written with indelible ink on the aircraft.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All
UAS should bear means of electronic identification. An active-type Radio
Frequency Identification Tag, with a range of at least 800m. should be borne by
all UAS. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">UAS
should be visible to other airspace users through navigation and anti-collision
lights. Incorporation of anti-collision technologies, such as sense-and-avoid
systems, may also be required.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">III. Ground stations</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Decision
contains also extensive provisions on the ground stations of the UAS. Ground
stations for UAS are the equivalent of the cockpit for manned aircraft.
Therefore, the law foresees that ground stations should ensure similar
functions and have similar equipment. Among others, ground station design
should minimize the possibilities of malfunctions in the control panels of the
aircraft and the possibilities of human error on the part of the pilots. They
should indicate basic operational parameters of the flight, such as speed and
altitude, and warn pilots of possible malfunctions of the aircraft.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You can
find the Decision (in Greek) <a href="https://1drv.ms/b/s!AsREpX4I-2FXlka3qmXm95SVqwpa">here</a>.</span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-2147069328778884582016-12-09T21:58:00.001+02:002016-12-10T11:55:08.490+02:00Air carrier liability: Greek CA rules against compensability of pure mental injury under Montreal Convention<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Court of Appeals (CA) of
Athens, Greece, in its decision No 4326/2015, ruled that a passenger who
suffered mental distress, but no bodily injury, does not have a right to
compensation under Art. 17 of the 1999 Montreal Convention on air carrier
liability (MC).</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The case concerned a claim brought
against an airline by a passenger, who, a few days after the completion of <span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">his</span>
flight from London to Athens, read in a newspaper that aircraft of the airline
of the type he had embarked himself during that flight (Boeing 767) had been
found contaminated with Pollonium 210. Pollonium 210 is a radio-active
substance, potentially fatal to humans, which had been used a few days earlier
to assassinate a former Russian spy. Despite repeatedly contacting the airline
about this fact, the passenger received no reply. Therefore, he initiated legal
proceedings claiming compensation in the amount of € 70.000 for negligent
failure of the airline to prevent its aircraft from being contaminated and to
inform its passengers on the actions taken to address the problem.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The CA affirmed the judgment
of the court of first instance, which had rejected the claim. The Court found
that applicable was Article 17 MC, which provided for compensation of only
bodily injur<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">y</span>, while additional mental injur<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">y</span> could be <span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">compensate<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">d </span></span>according to
national law. At the same time, Art. 29 MC obliged claimants to bring any
action for damages, however founded, only under the conditions and the limits
of the Convention. Since the conditions of Art. 17 MC were not fulfilled, no
mental damages could be awarded. As a result, the lawsuit was rejected.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With this decision, Greek
courts join the prevailing view among courts in common-law countries, which
hold that stand-alone mental injuries are not compensable.</span></div>
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Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-5126177903274634242016-08-17T15:42:00.002+03:002016-08-18T14:46:13.197+03:00EASA issues regulatory proposals in response to the Germanwings accident<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published a set of regulatory proposals, to
prevent accidents like the <a href="http://www.aviation-accidents.net/germanwings-airbus-a320-d-aipx-flight-4u9525/"><span style="color: blue;">Germanwings flight 4U9525</span></a>, in which the co-pilot,
who had a history of mental issues, took advantage of the temporary absence of
the pilot-in-command and committed suicide by crashing the aircraft. The
proposals concern <a href="https://www.easa.europa.eu/document-library/opinions/opinion-092016"><span style="color: blue;">medical requirements for pilots</span></a> and the <a href="http://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/2016-09"><span style="color: blue;">"2-persons-in-the-cockpit"
recommendation</span></a>. Further recommendations are about to follow by the
end of the year.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The proposals on medical
requirements for pilots concern the Part-MED on medical aspects and fitness of
aircrews, which EASA wants to update based on operational experience. The
proposals include </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">- strengthening pilot medical
examinations by including drugs and alcohol screening, assessing
comprehensively mental health and improving follow-up in case of history of
psychiatric conditions,</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">- improving the quality of aero-medical
examinations through better training, oversight and assessment of aero-medical
examiners,</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">- preventing fraud attempts, by
requiring aero-medical centres and examiners to report all incomplete medical
assessments to the competent authority.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As to the
"2-persons-in-the-cockpit" recommendation, EASA opted for a more
flexible approach. Operators can maintain this procedure as one possible
mitigating measure, after they have conducted a risk assessment, which
considers elements such as the psychological and security screening of flight
crew, employment stability and turnover rate, access to support programs, and
ability of the operator’s management system to mitigate psychological and
social risks.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These proposals
follow the recommendations of the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/news/doc/2015-07-17-germanwings-report/germanwings-task-force-final-report.pdf"><span style="color: blue;">Task Force's report on Germanwings accident</span></a>,
which was released about a year ago. EASA's proposals will be elaborated by the
European Commission, which will draft a legislative proposal to the European
Parliament and to the Council for a new EU instrument to be adopted.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">See also the relevant press releases from EASA <a href="http://www.easa.europa.eu/newsroom-and-events/press-releases/easa-strengthens-medical-requirements-pilots" target="_blank">here </a>and <a href="http://www.easa.europa.eu/newsroom-and-events/news/minimum-cockpit-occupancy-easa-issues-revised-safety-information-bulletin" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span> </span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-14016414621389344032016-07-15T08:38:00.001+03:002016-07-18T10:00:53.556+03:00The Hague Manifesto on Space Policy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The Hague
Manifesto on Space Policy presents the main findings on space policy of the
2016 Netherlands Presidency of the Council of the EU. These findings codify the
results of the Competitiveness Council on Space Meeting o<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">f</span> 26 May 2016, the
EU-ESA Informal Space Ministerial Meeting o<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">f</span> 30 May 2016 and the main messages
of the opening and policy days of the European Space Solutions Conference that
took place on the 30th and 31st of May 2016. The main purpose of this Manifesto
is to assist in the drafting of the forthcoming </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/roadmaps/docs/2016_grow_007_cwp_european_space_strategy_en.pdf"><span lang="EN-US">Space
Strategy for Europe</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The Manifesto
acknowledges that the space domain can significantly help increase jobs,
growth and investments across the European Union, as well as tackle global</span><span lang="EN-GB"> societal challenges. To that
effect, the Manifesto supports the idea of developing a coherent vision and
strategy on EU and ESA space policy, in order to fully reap the benefits that
the space programmes and systems can offer.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Manifesto covers </span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">mainly </span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> the
following areas:</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">- <u>Concrete
topics on uptake data and security</u> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The Manifesto encourages the
solid uptake of space data by the market by removing technical and unnecessary
legal barriers. Moreover, it suggests that the EU should focus on the different
aspects of space and security, such as space debris, dependence on space
signals/data etc.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">- <u>Competitiveness
and Innovation</u></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It highlights that Europe has
to keep its global competitive edge, foster innovation in the downstream
sector, as well as to ensure an independent and affordable access to space.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">- <u>Continuity of data and signals</u></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Manifesto highpoints that
the further development of Galileo and Copernicus programmes should be a
priority for the EU as the continuity and predictability of data and signals is
of essence in ensuring market confidence and uptake.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">- <u>Creating
awareness</u></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Manifesto sets up a
threefold strategy for raising awareness; 1. make public authorities, research
communities and private sector aware of the benefits of using space data; 2. promote the use of space through EU programmes (e.g.Horizon 2020); 3. actively
involve citizens.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">- <u>Constructive
co-operation</u></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to the Manifesto, constructive
co-operation should exist between the EU, ESA and their Member States. It
encourages the work <i>on</i> and <i>in</i> space clusters with the research
communities, private and public authorities. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">You can find the Hague
Manifesto on Space Policy </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.gsrt.gr/News/Files/New11266/The%20Hague%20Manifesto%20on%20Space%20Policy.pdf"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">here</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Konstantina Liperihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00470782980251410027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-2114975151225595902016-07-07T14:38:00.001+03:002016-07-08T15:44:57.513+03:00ESA extends its family with Cyprus and Slovenia <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the 6th
of July 2016, Cyprus became the 11th country to sign the European Cooperating
State (ECS) Agreement, strengthening its relations with ESA. <span lang="EN-US">One day before, on the 5<sup>th</sup> of July, Slovenia
signed an Association Agreement with ESA. </span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The launch
of the “Plan for European Co-operating States” (PECS)<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>was<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>decided
by ESA Council on 21/22 March 2001. Before the introduction of the PECS,
the usual path of co-operation between ESA and an interested State was the
conclusion of a general Cooperation Agreement that eventually led to full
membership. However, the gap between the general agreement and full membership
was deemed far too big to be bridged easily by the interested countries. To
this effect, the PECS was proposed as an intermediate step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The ECS
Agreement allows the State to participate in ESA programmes and activities.
These activities are defined in a five-year work plan (PECS Charter), jointly
agreed between ESA and the country concerned. Unlike general cooperation
agreements, a minimum financial contribution of 1 million Euro per year is
required for each ECS. 90% of this contribution returns back to the ECS in the
form of projects. The five years spent under the PECS Charter enhances ECS’
knowledge on the procedures followed by ESA and enables the country to develop
its space industry system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A first
Cooperation Agreement with Cyprus was signed in 2009. The Cooperation
Agreement, enabled the creation of appropriate links and contacts with ESA, as
well as the organization of several conferences and trainings in Cyprus. A
technical visit by ESA in 2015, demonstrated that Cyprus' companies, institutes
and universities are capable of undertaking ESA projects in earth observation,
space science, navigation, telecom and integrated applications, and space
situational awareness.<o:p></o:p> The
selection of potential PECS projects is anticipated to start soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The Association Agreement signed with Slovenia is one
step closer to full membership. At the end of the PECS’ five-year period,
countries can either begin negotiations to become a full member state, an
associated member or sign a new PECS Charter. The Association Agreement gives
the country concerned direct participation in ESA optional programmes. Even though
the country will have to use its own financial resources to join the ongoing
ESA programmes, a large share of these payments is being reimbursed</span>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can
find more information about PECS<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Plan_for_European_Cooperating_States/General_overview2">here</a><span lang="EN-US"> and about Slovenia’s new Agreement <a href="http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Slovenia_signs_Association_Agreement">here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Konstantina Liperihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00470782980251410027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-2576577102851525592016-05-28T17:09:00.001+03:002016-05-29T16:54:17.185+03:00Privacy and UAS: Different approaches in the US and the EU lead to similar results<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The US National Telecommunications and Information
Administration published recently <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.ntia.doc.gov/files/ntia/publications/voluntary_best_practices_for_uas_privacy_transparency_and_accountability.pdf">Voluntary
Best Practices for UAS Privacy, Transparency, and Accountability</a></i>. Under
EU law, extensive studies on privacy aspects of UAS have been conducted. Although
the legal framework is different in the US and the EU regarding both centralized
regulation and material content of the applicable legislation, the general
compliance requirements for operators share some common points.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the US, the <a href="http://us.practicallaw.com/6-502-0467#a1032179">federal rules on protection
of privacy and personal data</a> by private entities are mainly sector specific
and seem to allow considerable flexibility, resulting sometimes in regulatory
gaps or overlaps with state laws. Federal laws focus on the conduct of
governmental entities. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the EU, there is a tendency to increase harmonization
of rules on data protection, which apply to both public and private entities.
Currently, applicable is <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:31995L0046&from=en">Directive
95/46/EC</a> and the national laws transposing it into the national legislation
of the Member States. As of 25 May 2018, the new <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32016R0679&from=EN">General
Data Protection Regulation</a> will apply directly to all EU Member States, achieving
full harmonization. EU rules on data protection would appear rather strict to
the eyes of a US lawyer.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Against this background, it is interesting to note
that the recent US recommendations correspond to a large extent to the
recommendations under EU law <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/article-29/documentation/opinion-recommendation/files/2015/wp231_en.pdf">issued
by WP29</a>, an advisory body on data protection in the EU, and the <a href="https://secure.edps.europa.eu/EDPSWEB/webdav/site/mySite/shared/Documents/Consultation/Opinions/2014/14-11-26_Opinion_RPAS_EN.pdf">European
Data Protection Supervisor</a>. In both cases, it has been recognized that the
general rules on privacy and data protection apply, and some common elements
can be observed, like:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- raising awareness among UAS operators,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- informing third parties and the public on possible
personal data gathering,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- proportionate personal data collection in relation
to the objective of the collection<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">,</span> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- responsibility of UAS operators for personal data security<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">,</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- accountability and possible legal liability of UAS
operators for violations of the applicable provisions.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Nevertheless, there is a main difference between the US and the EU: In the US,<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>these <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">elements correspond mainly to general <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">best practices</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, </span>at least at the federal level, whereas in the EU the<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">y <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">reflect general legal obligations<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span> </span></span></span> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hence, despite the lack of special rules on personal data and privac<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">y regarding </span>UAS op<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">erations, </span>by no means do UAS operate in a legal gap as to
privacy and data protection. General rules apply, which, especially in the EU,
can entail unpleasant surprises for ignorant UAS operators.</span></span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-66605485823229336902016-04-26T15:47:00.002+03:002016-04-28T11:03:21.479+03:00Killing two birds with one stone: EU’s efforts to tighten aviation relations with Iran<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The EU is seeking to tighten relations with
Iran, to achieve multiple benefits: increase safety, boost European aircraft
exports and reduce <span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">the leverage </span>of Gulf <span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">rivals</span>. </span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Last week, EU officials visited Iran to also discuss
about aviation safety and establishing a horizontal air-traffic-services
agreement. This move is part of the implementation of the <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52015DC0598&from=EN">EU
aviation strategy</a>, as communicated by the European Commission on 7 Dec.
2015, according to which the EU should increase its influence over third States
through comprehensive air traffic services agreements, to promote growth.
Aviation safety agreements and mutual recognition of safety certificates are an
important aspect thereof: not only do they raise safety standards to the
advantage of passengers, but they also contribute to exports of European aircraft.
One of the first steps in the EU-Iranian aviation relations is to <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/eu-looking-to-remove-iran-air-sanctions-1460979526">overcome
the safety issues of Iran Air</a>, many aircraft of which are being currently banned
from flying into the EU, because they are included in the “black list” of
airlines established under <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32005R2111&from=EN">Regulation
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">At the same time, <a href="http://www.euractiv.com/section/transport/news/europe-eyes-iran-as-alternative-to-gulf-countries-in-aviation-routes/">it
has been reported</a> that increased cooperation between the EU and Iran would
help the EU reduce the influence of Gulf States as hubs to other destinations.
The <a href="http://www.euractiv.com/section/transport/interview/transport-commissioner-starts-long-battle-against-gulf-aviation-subsidies/">European
Commission</a> and <a href="http://www.euractiv.com/section/transport/news/meps-call-for-strong-action-against-subsidies-for-gulf-airlines/">Members
of the European Parliament</a> think that Gulf carriers enjoy unfair State
subsidies to the detriment of European carriers, which are subject to strict rules
on State aid. Flights of European airlines through Iran could be a viable
alternative for many European passengers, who are currently opting for their
Gulf <span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">competitors</span>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-19544635708284176762016-04-03T14:16:00.001+03:002016-04-03T14:16:10.063+03:00CJEU clarifies procedural issues on enforcement of Regulation 261/2004 on passenger rights<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Two recent
judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) have clarified
some important procedural aspects on the enforcement of <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32004R0261&rid=1">Regulation
(EC) No 261/2004 on passenger rights in cases of long delays, cancellation of
flights and denied boarding</a>. The <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:62015CJ0145&rid=2">first
judgment</a> concerned the role of national enforcement bodies under the
Regulation 261/2004. The <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:62014CJ0094&rid=1">second
one</a> related to questions of international jurisdiction and applicable procedural
rules in case of a European payment issued for claims arising out of the
Regulation.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the first
judgment, the Court clarified the duties of national enforcement bodies
established under Art. 16 of Regulation 261/2004. According to the Court, these
bodies have a duty to ensure general compliance of the air carriers with the
Regulation. They are not required to act on individual complaints of passengers
to guarantee each individual passenger’s right to obtain compensation.
Nevertheless, Member States may empower such bodies to adopt measures in
response to individual complaints, in order to remedy inadequate protection for
air passengers.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The second
judgment concerned a European payment order issued under <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02006R1896-20130701&qid=1459670027957&from=EN">Regulation
1896/2006</a>, which foresees a simplified procedure for cross-border recovery
of uncontested claims. Such procedure is interrupted, if the defendant/debtor
files a statement of opposition against the payment order issued against
him/her, within 30 days from the date of service of the payment order. The CJEU
clarified that the international jurisdiction of the court that issued the European
payment order for a claim under Reg. 261/2004 will not be judged according to
the jurisdictional rules of the <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.unification.convention.montreal.1999/">1999
Montreal Convention on the liability of international air carriers</a>, as the Convention
is inapplicable to such claims. Applicable will be the jurisdictional rules of <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32001R0044&rid=1">Regulation
(EC) No 44/2001</a> on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of
judgments in civil and commercial matters (which in the meantime has been
repealed by Regulation No 1215/2012, yet the content of its provisions has been
largely maintained). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the course of
such examination, the procedure will be governed by national rules (lex fori). Nevertheless,
such procedural rules should safeguard the effectiveness of Regulation No
44/2001, mainly in the sense that the defendant’s rights are not impaired. If
the national court concludes that the courts of its State have international
jurisdiction to hear the opposition claims of the defendant, then the details
on which court exactly of that State is competent, i.e. subject-matter jurisdiction
(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ratione materiae</i>) and territorial
jurisdiction (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ratione loci</i>), should
be determined according to the rules of Regulation 44/2001. If the national
court concludes that the courts of its State lack international jurisdiction on
the case, then it has not the right to review the case on its own motion by
analogy to Art. 20 of Reg. 1896/2006, which provides for such review in case
the defendant has missed the deadline for filing an opposition statement. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-28598626140064650532016-03-27T10:09:00.002+03:002016-03-27T10:09:39.064+03:001999 Montreal Convention: CJEU rules that also employers may be entitled to compensation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Court of
Justice of the EU (CJEU) <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:62014CJ0429&rid=1">ruled</a>
that employers may also be entitled to receive compensation under the 1999
Montreal Convention (MC) on liability of international air carriers.
Furthermore, the Court found that compensation under the MC is provided per
passenger; therefore, an employer who has booked tickets for more than one
employees can claim higher amounts of compensation than each employee could claim
individually.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The case
concerned delay in arriving at the final destination. The Lithuanian Investigation
Service had booked tickets with Air Baltic for two of its employees for a
professional trip. The flight consisted of more legs. Delay in one leg caused
missing a connecting flight and </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">extended the time of the
travel by over 14 hours. As a result, the Investigation Service paid its
employees LTL 1 168.35 (ca. EUR 338) in travel expenses and State
social security contributions, as it was required to do under Lithuanian
legislation. The Investigation Service then sought to be compensated for that
amount by Air Baltic, which did not agree to do so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The Court found that the MC stipulates
compensation for delay, yet it does not define the persons who might suffer
damage. Therefore, the objective of the MC should be examined, which is to
provide enhanced consumer protection, as laid down in its preamble. According
to the Court, the notion of “consumer” under the MC does not refer only to passengers,
but should be construed broadly and include also persons who are not carried on
board the aircraft. In addition, the MC regulates the legal issues arising from
the contract of air carriage, as can be deduced from a number of provisions
[e.g. Arts 1(2), 29, 33(1), 3(5)]. Therefore, the MC is applicable also to
persons who have concluded the contract of carriage with the air carrier, but
are not themselves passengers. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Besides, the Court found that compensation
limits under the MC are per passenger. Thus, an employer who has concluded a
contract with the air carrier for more than one employees may claim higher
compensation than each individual employee could. In this case, the
compensation limit applicable to the claim of the employer would be the limit
per passenger foreseen in the MC multiplied by the number of the travelling
employees, e.g. for delay occasioned by two employees the limit of the
carrier’s liability would be 4.694 SDR (limit per passenger) x 2. The CJEU
observed that such solution strikes an equitable balance of interests: the
parties involved, such as the ones in the present case, are placed in a
position which is neither more nor less favourable than if individual passengers
had suffered damage due to a delay. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-32696964387575035212016-02-16T21:54:00.003+02:002016-02-19T18:54:57.249+02:00To ban or not to ban? Regulators attempt to mitigate risks from air carriage of lithium batteries <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">ICAO and
regulators worldwide are examining methods to mitigate the risk posed by air
carriage of lithium batteries. The crashes of two freighters in 2010 and 2011,
and the grounding of Boeing 787s in 2013, all connected with lithium batteries on
board, in combination with recent FAA studies, have sparked an intense debate
on the conditions under which lithium batteries should be (not) allowed on board
aircraft. </span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">On 3 September
2010, <a href="http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20100903-0">UPS
flight 6</a> from Dubai to Cologne-Bonn airport developed an in-flight fire.
The pilots reported that the aircraft, a Boeing 747-44AF, including the cockpit
was full of smoke. A diversion of the flight for emergency landing in Dubai was
attempted, yet the aircraft crashed about 30 minutes later. The accident
investigation report concluded that the fire that caused the crash began from autoignition
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">of
the contents of a cargo pallet, which contained lithium batteries and other
combustible materials.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">On 28 July 2011 <a href="http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20110728-0">Asiana
cargo flight 991</a> from Seoul to Shanghai crashed into the ocean shortly
after the crew reported a fire in the cargo compartment and attempted to divert
the fight for an emergency landing. The aircraft, a Boeing 747-48EF freighter,
was carrying also lithium-ion batteries and flammable liquids, from which a
fire developed, which caused the accident.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In 2013, <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323783704578246213461653662">all
Boeing 787 worldwide were temporarily grounded</a> after two incidents involving
fire during the flight were connected to the aircraft’s two lithium-ion
batteries.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="http://www.fire.tc.faa.gov/ppt/systems/Sept_18_2015_Battery_Public_Meeting.pptx">Tests
conducted by the FAA</a> in 2014 and 2015 showed that ignition of unburned
flammable gases associated with a lithium<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">-</span>battery fire may lead to a
catastrophic explosion, which could not be prevented by current fire suppression
systems on board cargo compartments of aircraft. In addition, tests also
revealed that the ignition of a mixture of flammable gases could produce an <span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">over-pressure</span>, which could result in the leakage of smoke and gases from the
cargo department into the occupied areas of the aircraft. The number of cells
necessary to produce this condition is small and can occur with just a few
packages. In general, the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>carriage<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>lithium<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cells<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>batteries<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>aircraft<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>cargo<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>compartments<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>presents<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>three distinct hazards: (1) they can cause fire, (2) they can fuel an
existing fire, (3) they can produce an explosive mixture of gas.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="http://www2.anac.gov.br/transparencia/audiencia/2015/aud19/anexoV.pdf">Airbus</a>
and <a href="http://www2.anac.gov.br/transparencia/audiencia/2015/aud19/anexoVI.pdf">Boeing</a>
have recommended that operators conduct safety risk assessments before deciding
to transport lithium batteries as cargo.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The European Aviation
Safety Agency (EASA) <a href="http://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/2015-19">has
recommended</a> that operators, before engaging in the transport of lithium
batteries/cells as cargo in passenger or freighter aircraft, conduct a safety
risk assessment in order to establish whether the risk is manageable. The US Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) <a href="http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/safo/all_safos/media/2016/SAFO16001.pdf">supports
these recommendations</a> and encourages operators who have previously
performed a risk assessment to reevaluate their assessment in light of the further
evidence gained through the recent testing of lithium batteries. The US National
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued <a href="http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/RecLetters/A-16-001-002.pdf">two
safety recommendations</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">:</span> to physically separate lithium batteries from other
flammable hazardous materials stowed on cargo aircraft and to establish maximum
loading density requirements that restrict the quantities of lithium batteries
and flammable hazardous materials. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The Air
Navigation Commission (ANC) of the International Civil Aviation Organisation
(ICAO) recommended in January 2016 that lithium-ion batteries be forbidden for
carriage as cargo on passenger aircraft. The recommendation does not apply to
lithium-ion batteries packed with equipment or lithium-ion batteries contained
in equipment. The ANC recommendation will be considered by the ICAO Council in late
February this year as an amendment of Annex 18. It is expected that the ICAO
Council will endorse ANC’s recommendations and the prohibition will start as of
1 April 2016. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As to cargo aircraft, the
ICAO Council has already banned carriage of lithium batteries charged more than
30%, effective as of 1 April 2016. See also the <a href="http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dgr/Documents/lithium-battery-update.pdf">IATA
briefing</a> in this regard.</span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-34504191414786514962016-01-23T15:13:00.002+02:002016-01-23T17:08:57.953+02:00Etihad provisionally allowed to further conduct international code-share flights with Air Berlin in Germany<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The Supreme
Administrative Court of the state of Lower Saxony in Germany issued a
provisional order that allows <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad
Airways</i> to further conduct international code share flights with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Air Berlin</i> in Germany regarding its
winter schedule 2015/2016. The court’s order was based on the bilateral
agreement between Germany and the UAE. However, the court found that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad </i>had no such right as to domestic
German flights. </span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Etihad Airways</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> had disputed the decision of the German Federal
Ministry for Traffic and Digital Infrastructure (Bundesministerium für Verkehr
und digitale Infrastruktur) and the Federal German Civil Aviation Authority
(Luftfahrtbundesamt) not to approve 31 routes of its winter flight schedule in
Germany, which would be conducted according to a code share agreement with Air
Berlin (it is reminded that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad</i> holds
a 29,2% stake in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Air Berlin</i>). These
routes concerned both international flights between UAE and Germany and
domestic flights within Germany. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Etihad’s </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">application to the German CAA was based on the bilateral air traffic agreement
between UAE and Germany, which was originally signed in 1986 and is still in
force. In June 2000, Germany and UAE agreed provisionally to a revised Route
Schedule (still in force), while the final Route Schedule would be negotiated
at a later point. In 2012, the German CAA granted <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad</i> approval of its routes to and from Germany, under
reservation that such approval could be revoked at any time. In 2014, the
German CAA received a notice from the European Commission that some code share
flights might not be covered by the said bilateral agreement. The CAA conducted
a legal analysis and informed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad</i>
in August 2014 that it would not be able to approve certain code-share flights in
the future. Subsequently, negotiations among all the parties involved took
place. In October 2014, the CAA denied the approval of certain code-share
flights and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad</i> applied for a
provisional order before German courts. The case was settled out of the court,
when the CAA agreed to fully approve <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad’s</i>
winter schedule 2014/2015, under reservation of revoke at any time. The same
happened with summer schedule 2015. However, in March 2015 the CAA notified <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad </i>that such approval, which the CAA
found to be uncovered by the bilateral agreement, could not be granted anymore
in the future. New consultations occurred, which resulted in provisional partial
approval of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad</i>’s winter schedule
2015/2016 until 15 Jan. 2016. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Etihad </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">applied to the administrative court of first instance of Braunschweig
(Verwaltungsgericht Braunschweig) for a provisional order to have these flights
approved for the rest of its winter schedule. The court rejected <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad’s </i>application on 15 Dec. 2015 and
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad </i>appealed before the Supreme
Administrative Court of the state of Lower Saxony (Oberverwaltungsgericht
Niedersachsen).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The Supreme
Administrative Court of the state of Lower Saxony granted the provisional order
on the basis of the wording of the 2000 “Agreed Minutes and Revised Route
Schedule” between Germany and UAE, which allowed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad</i> to conduct international flights </span><span lang="DE" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">not only </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">to
and from </span><span lang="DE" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">the airports of
Frankfurt, Munich, Duesseldorf and Hamburg, for which the approval had already
been granted, but also the airports of Berlin, Stuttgart und Nuremberg. Consequently, a provisional order allowing such flights (26 in total) for the
winter schedule 2015/2016, i.e. until 26 March 2016 was issued.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="DE" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Nevertheless, the
Court found that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was not entitlted to conduct domestic
(cabotage) flights within Germany. Such flights had not been included in the
bilateral agreement. Therefore, the Court rejected the pertinent part of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etihad’s </i>application.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="DE" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">You can find the
Court’s press release <a href="http://www.oberverwaltungsgericht.niedersachsen.de/portal/live.php?navigation_id=22004&article_id=140148&_psmand=134">here</a>
(in German). See also the press releases in English by <a href="http://www.airberlingroup.com/en/press/pressreleases/2016/01/15_airberlin-wins-legal-proceeding-on-codeshares">Air
Berlin</a> and by <a href="http://www.etihad.com/en-us/about-us/etihad-news/archive/2016/etihad-airways-launches-legal-appeal-to-protect-airberlin-investment-and-ensure-consumer-choice/">Etihad</a>.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span lang="DE" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-74737554345920749052016-01-04T22:04:00.000+02:002016-01-04T22:53:42.049+02:00CJEU rules on VAT for unused passenger tickets: A judgment with hidden consumer-law implications?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) <a href="http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=173251&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=req&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=347937">judged
recently</a> that airlines have to pay Value Added Tax (VAT) for unused,
non-refundable airline tickets. This might have implications<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>on the right of passengers to claim
also VAT refund in case of unused (partly) refundable tickets. </span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The judgment concerned two joined cases:
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">(a) case C-250/14, in which French tax
authorities obliged <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Air France</i>
(currently <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Air France-KLM</i>) to pay
additional VAT for the period from 1 April 2000 until 31 March 2003, amounting
to EUR 4 066 607, together with default interest amounting to EUR 1 226 584,
which related to the amounts Air France had received for non-refundable
passenger tickets, which had not been used by their holders; </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">(b) case C-289/14, in which French tax
authorities demanded VAT for the lump sum paid annually by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brit Air</i> (currently <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hop!-Brit
Air SAS</i>) to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Air France</i>, for
unused non-refundable tickets of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Air
France</i> that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brit Air</i> had sold in
the context of a franchise agreement concluded between them. This sum was 2% of
the annual turnover from the routes operated as franchise, including VAT.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">French authorities based their decision
on the provisions of <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:01977L0388-20070101&qid=1451919068992&from=EN">Directive
77/388/EEC, as amended</a>, which was applicable at that time (this Directive
has been repealed by Directive 2006/112/EC, yet many of its provisions have
been included in the new Directive). The above cases ended before the French
Supreme Court for administrative issues (Conseil d’ Etat), which referred to
the CJEU for a preliminary ruling.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The airlines claimed that these sums
were actually compensation paid by passengers for their non-show and not
remuneration for services of air carriage. Therefore, they were not subject to
VAT.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The CJEU clarified that, according to Directive 77/388/EEC,
VAT is due for services, if the amount paid by the passenger is directly linked
to an identifiable service and if the service is performed. It suffices that
the airline has made available the service of the air carriage to the
passenger, even if the passenger has not used the service.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Furthermore,
the VAT paid by the passenger becomes chargeable on receipt of payment of the
ticket price, whether by the airline itself, by a third party acting in its
name and on its behalf, or by a third party acting in its own name but on
behalf of the airline. Therefore, if a third party sells tickets on behalf of
the airline in the context of a franchise agreement and pays the airline a lump
sum for the tickets issued and no longer valid, that sum is taxable as
consideration for those tickets.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It
is noteworthy, that the CJEU rejected the airlines’ argument that the sum
received as VAT was part of compensation that the passenger provided to the
airline for its losses resulting from the non-show. The Court observed that,
since the airlines had retained the full amount of the ticket, they had
sustained no damage.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Consequently,
airlines have to pay VAT for unused, non-refundable tickets, regardless of how
they received the price of the ticket. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
very interesting issue are the implications of this judgment for refundable
tickets. Does the judgment imply that airlines are not obliged to pay VAT for
the refundable part of the ticket? Is the airline entitled to withhold the VAT
amount paid by the passenger as compensation for its loss? Is the VAT also refundable alongside with the refundable part of the ticket? What would be the
exact requirements for such right from the perspective of the applicable EU
rules on airline pricing (<a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32008R1008&qid=1451919688053&from=EN">Regulation
(EC) No 1008/2008</a>), unfair commercial practices against consumers (<a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32005L0029&rid=1">Directive
2005/29/EC</a>) and unfair contractual terms in consumer contracts (<a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:01993L0013-20111212&qid=1451919633126&from=EN">Directive
93/13/EEC</a>)? The answers to the above questions are highly equivocal and
would perhaps constitute the subject of another question to the CJEU for a
preliminary ruling.</span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-83144565140620029482015-12-11T15:24:00.002+02:002015-12-11T15:35:51.147+02:00Aviation security: Recent regulatory developments in the EU<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In response to the ongoing security situation
in Europe, a series of regulatory developments has occurred in the EU: the EU
Council reached an informal with the EU Parliament on the content of a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">proposed cybersecurity Directive</b>, which
includes aviation; the European Commission presented a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">proposal for Directive on terrorism</b>, which includes travelling
abroad for terrorist purposes; the European Council approved a legislative <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">proposal for a Directive on an EU-wide Passenger
Name Records (PNR) system</b>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Concerning cybersecurity, the EU Council has reached
an informal agreement with the European Parliament on a Directive proposal for common
rules to strengthen Network and Information Security across the EU. The proposed
Directive will set out cybersecurity obligations for operators of essential
services and digital service providers. These operators will be required to
take measures to manage cyber risks and report major security incidents. The “essential
services” are services provided in listed critical sectors, such as energy,
transport, finance and health. Each EU country will be required to designate
one or more national authorities and set out a strategy to deal with cyber
matters. Furthermore, EU Member states will enhance their cooperation on
cybersecurity: an EU-level cooperation group will be created to support
strategic cooperation and exchange of best practices among member states, while
a network of national computer security incident response teams will be set up
to promote operational cooperation. However, in order for the Directive proposal
to become binding, formal adoption by both the EU Council and the EU Parliament
is required. Click <a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20151207IPR06449/MEPs-close-deal-with-Council-on-first-ever-EU-rules-on-cybersecurity">here</a>
for more.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/european-agenda-security/legislative-documents/docs/20151202_directive_on_combatting_terrorism_en.pdf">proposed
Directive on terrorism</a> aims at closing criminal-enforcement gaps in the EU
legal framework. It provides for common definitions of terrorist offences and
incorporates into EU law international anti-terrorism instruments, like the <a href="http://www.un.org/en/sc/ctc/docs/2015/SCR%202178_2014_EN.pdf">UN Security
Council Resolution 2178(2014) on Foreign Terrorist Fighters</a>, the <a href="https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=CM/PV%282015%29125add1&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=app&Site=COE&BackColorInternet=C3C3C3&BackColorIntranet=EDB021&BackColorLogged=F5D383">Additional
Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of terrorism</a>
and the <a href="http://www.fatf-gafi.org/media/fatf/documents/recommendations/pdfs/FATF_Recommendations.pdf">Financial
Action Task Force Recommendations on terrorist financing.</a> The proposed
Directive criminalizes:</span></div>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">travelling for terrorist purposes, both
within and outside the EU;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">funding, organizing and facilitating travels;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">receiving training for terrorist purposes;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">providing funds to commit terrorist offences
and offences related to terrorist groups or terrorist activities.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The proposed Directive was announced
alongside the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/european-agenda-security/legislative-documents/docs/20151202_communication_firearms_and_the_security_of_the_eu_en.pdf">EU
Action Plan against firearms illicit trafficking and the use of explosives</a>
and is part of the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/e-library/documents/basic-documents/docs/eu_agenda_on_security_en.pdf">European
Agenda for Security 2015-2020</a>. See more <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-6218_en.htm">here</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As to PNRs, the European Parliament's civil
liberties committee has approved a preliminary deal between the EU Council and
the EU Parliament on EU PNR. The proposed Directive covers flights between the
EU and third countries, but Member States may extend its scope to selected
intra-EU flights. The Directive applies to air carriers, yet Member States are
free to extend, through national legislation, its provisions to other economic
operators, such as travel agencies and tour operators. The PNR will be reported
to the Member States only for the purposes of prevention, detection,
investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime. The
Directive includes a list of relative offences, e.g. participation in a
criminal organization, cybercrime, child pornography and trafficking in weapons.
EU Member States will retain the data for five years, but will anonymize (mask
out) them after the first six months. Rules on monitoring and implementation of
data processing are also foreseen. You can find more <a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20151207IPR06435/EU-Passenger-Name-Record-%28PNR%29-Civil-Liberties-Committee-backs-EPCouncil-deal">here</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Overall, the recent terrorist attacks in
Paris have accelerated legislative procedures in the EU on security issues, but
the implementation of concrete measures has still a long way to go.</span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-72728253359079999452015-12-02T11:10:00.001+02:002015-12-02T21:02:35.591+02:00Putting things into perspective: Some comments on the US Space Resource and Utilization Act of 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">On
November 25, President Obama signed into law the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2262/text?q=%7b%22search%22:%5b%22\%22hr2262\%22%22%5d%7d&resultIndex=1#toc-HEE062BAAFBDD4A43859C0142C68E67F9">Space
Resource and Utilization Act of 2015.</a> The Act recognizes property rights of
US citizens on asteroid resources they have extracted. The Act has been
received by both <a href="http://www.planetaryresources.com/2015/11/president-obama-signs-bill-recognizing-asteroid-resource-property-rights-into-law/">enthusiasm</a>
and <a href="http://phys.org/news/2015-11-space-asteroid-mining-dangerous-potentially-illegal.html">scepticism</a>
regarding its effect on international space law. However, a brief analysis of
the situation from a technological, legal and US-domestic perspective reveals
that importance of the Act lies mainly in the domestic US politics and economy.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">1) The technological
perspective</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">From
a technical perspective, the technology needed to actually proceed to
commercial mining operations is probably decades away. This is manifested by
two examples: suborbital space tourism and the Rosetta mission of the European
Space Agency (ESA). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Private
suborbital flights were essentially inaugurated in June 2004 after the
successful completion of two flights above 100 km (62 miles) by SpaceShip One,
a suborbital vehicle built by Scales Composites, </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.space.com/403-spaceshipone-wins-10-million-ansari-prize-historic-2nd-trip-space.html"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">in
the framework of the Ansari X Prize</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">.
Scaled Composites was one of several competitors at that time. More than eleven
years after, commercial flights using a vehicle based on Space Ship One have
yet to begin. In the meantime, other interested companies have barely managed
to build and fly a prototype to actual suborbital altitude – Jeff Bezos’ Blue
Origin </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.blueorigin.com/news"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">successful
test flight on Nov. 23</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> is a prominent example. If
a “simple” suborbital flight needs more than a decade after successfully
completing two operational flights, then one can only imagine how much time
will be needed to design, build, test and commercially operate the vehicles
that will be sent to asteroids. Admittedly, suborbital flights will be manned,
while asteroid vehicles will most likely be unmanned. However, there is still
the need to design, build, test and commercially operate these vehicles, which
may be unmanned, but will have to operate in deep space, not at the boundary of
the atmosphere.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">A
small taste of the technical challenges posed by asteroid mining has been
demonstrated by ESA’s Rosetta mission. Rosetta was launched in 2004, to rendezvous
with an asteroid in 2015 and send a small landing vehicle (at the size of a
washing machine), called Philae, on the surface of the asteroid to collect few
samples therefrom – not to drill and extract commercially significant
quantities of minerals. Rosetta is a one-off mission, in the sense that neither
Philae nor its mother vehicle, Rosetta, will return to Earth. Nevertheless, the
whole endeavour proved very challenging, especially </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/nov/13/rosetta-philae-comet-mission-what-went-right-what-went-wrong-and-how-it-can-be-fixed"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">as
to landing Philae</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">, because gravity in such
small celestial bodies is extremely weak, which renders very difficult
adjusting a vehicle on their surface, and many things may malfunction with
crucial impact on the mission. Moreover, the whole program cost about 1 bn
Euros and took more than 22 years to be completed using the scientific resources
of a large, experienced and sophisticated space intergovernmental organization.
It is also noteworthy that a delay in the program caused Rosetta to miss its
primary comet target (comet 46P/Wirtanen) and had to be redirected to the
current comet (comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko), which was a backup option.
Moreover, initially the program was about bringing a sample back to Earth in
cooperation with NASA; however, after NASA pulled out from this part of the
project, ESA alone could not afford bringing back a sample. You can find more
details on the Rosetta mission </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Frequently_asked_questions"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">here</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">
and over </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=2004-006A"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">there</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Consequently,
landing a spacecraft on an asteroid, extracting material from it and then send
such material back to Earth is an extremely demanding task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">2) The legal perspective</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">From
a legal perspective, the Act is less breakthrough than it appears. According to
§51302(a)(1)-(3), the President undertakes to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">facilitate commercial exploration </i>(mainly through appropriate
regulation)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, discourage government
barriers </i>(thus reducing bureaucratic hurdles)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">promote the right of
United States citizens to engage in commercial exploration… in accordance with
the international obligations of the United States </i>(thus support the right
to commercial activities during negotiations in international fora).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">§51303
provides that ‘‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A United States
citizen engaged in commercial recovery of an asteroid resource or a space
resource under this chapter shall be entitled to any asteroid resource or space
resource obtained, including to possess, own, transport, use, and sell the
asteroid resource or space resource <u>obtained in accordance with applicable
law, including the international obligations of the United States</u></i><u>’</u>’
(emphasis added). This means that the US recognizes ownership on asteroid
resources under reservation of international law. Moreover, since international
space law prohibits any act of national appropriation of outer space or
celestial bodies (Art. II <a href="http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/outer_space/text" target="_blank">Outer Space Treaty</a>), the Act has included a disclaimer that “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It is the sense of Congress that by the enactment of this Act, the
United States does not thereby assert sovereignty or sovereign or exclusive
rights or jurisdiction over, or the ownership of, any celestial body</i>”. In
strict legal terms, the above mean that the US will recognize rights on the
asteroid resources, <u>as long as</u> such rights have been obtained according
to international law. The fact that the exact meaning of current international
law provisions in this regard is <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/space-mining-us-treaty-1.3339104">disputed
and open to various interpretations</a> is something <span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">not</span> uncommon in almost all
domains of international law. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It
is also noteworthy that the Act is restricted only to “asteroids”. It does not
mention either the Moon, for which the special Moon Agreement is in force,
albeit not ratified by the US, or other “celestial bodies” in general, which
could include comets and other planets in the solar system. Therefore,
this Act actually stirs up the debate on the conditions under which
exploitation of space resources would be permissible under international law.
It does not violate international law and it does not provide for unconditional
recognition of private rights over such resources.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In
the long term and depending on the reactions of other space faring nations, the
Act might lead to the establishment of an international customary rule on a
kind of (restricted) freedom of asteroid exploitation. However, there is a long
way to run until this happens.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">3) The US-domestic
perspective</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
practical importance of the Act can be found rather in the US political and
economic context. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">US
economy is still recovering slowly, unemployment rates are still unsatisfactory
and NASA is stripped out of funds; nonetheless, the US wishes to retain global
space leadership. The only way to deal with these issues is to promote private
initiative and help private companies attract investors. This way, the
governmental budget remains unaffected, R&D in space technologies is
encouraged and new jobs are likely to be created. Space entrepreneurs have a
vision regarding space resources and they need to convince potential investors
about that. The new Act offers entrepreneurs an additional argument in this
regard, i.e. this vision enjoys governmental support despite the technical and
legal hurdles to make it true – therefore, the investment is worth trying.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In
addition, the Act is one of the rare recent examples of bipartisan cooperation.
US has been suffering from political brinkmanship and the Act is an encouraging
sign that the crisis could be overcome. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Conclusion</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
new Act has limited practical importance outside the US, because the technology
to enable commercial exploitation of space resources is decades away. From a
legal view, the Act does not affect international law, but serves rather as an
incentive to reflect on current international space law, which was drafted in a
much different era to serve much different needs. Nonetheless, within the US
the Act facilitates investment in space technologies, which may contribute to economic
recovery and job growth, and eases political tension. </span></div>
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Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-34129997673011729802015-11-24T17:13:00.000+02:002015-11-24T17:13:15.410+02:00Aviation safety: EU Regulation on occurrence reporting enters into force<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Since
15 Nov. 2015 the EU <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32014R0376&from=EN">Regulation
No 376/2014</a> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">on the reporting,
analysis and follow-up of occurrences in civil aviation </i>has entered into
force. The new Regulation’s objective is to ensure that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>aviation safety-related information is
reported, collected, stored, protected, exchanged, disseminated and analysed.
The Regulation enhances EU-wide cooperation and data exchange, while
strengthening “just culture”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This Regulation lays down rules on: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">(a) the reporting of occurrences that (could)
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>jeopardise aviation safety, i.e. safety
of aircraft and any persons related thereto or affected therefrom;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">(b) analysis and follow-up action in respect
of reported occurrences and other safety-related information; </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">(c) the protection of aviation professionals;
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">(d) appropriate use of collected safety
information; </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">(e) the integration of information into the
European Central Repository; and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">(f) the dissemination of anonymised
information to interested parties for the purpose of providing such parties
with the information they need in order to improve aviation safety (Art. 3).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Mandatory and voluntary occurrence reporting systems
are established at both national and EU-wide level, depending on whether the pertinent
actors (natural persons and organizations) are certified or approved by national
aviation authorities or the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Mandatory reporting
systems regard information on the aircraft operation; maintenance and repair of
aircraft; air navigation services and facilities; and airdromes and ground
services. Other safety-related information is reported through voluntary
systems.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">All
occurrence reports collected in the EU are stored, within 30 days from the date
of their collection, in the European Central Repository (ECR), which is managed
by the European Commission. The ECR aims at facilitating the dissemination of
the information among all EU Member States upon strict access rules, in order
to ensure confidentiality and appropriate use of the information as well as
protection of the reporters. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
latter refers to the “just culture” concept of aviation reporting, the core of
which is that occurrence reporting aims exclusively to improving aviation
safety and not apportioning blame or liability. In this regard, the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/events/doc/2015-10-01-just-culture/signed-declaration.pdf">European
Corporate Just Declaration</a> contains the key principles of the concept.</span></div>
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can find more information and comments on the Regulation <a href="http://www.aviationspacejournal.com/2015/04/01/preventing-aircraft-accidents-through-just-culture-regulation-eu-no-3762014-a-better-use-of-occurrences-to-improve-aviation-safety-2/">here</a>,
on just culture <a href="http://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Just_Culture">there</a>
and on mandatory reporting systems <a href="http://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Mandatory_Occurrence_Reporting">one
click further</a>. </span></div>
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Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147923719128568353.post-19725013273905995412015-08-13T02:07:00.000+03:002015-08-13T02:07:01.877+03:00ISS: Developments in the US and worldwide<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">US Congress passed a bill, which,
among others, provides for the extension of US operations in the International
Space Station (ISS) until 2024 and introduces the notion of “governmental
astronaut”. At the same time, NASA administrator complained to Congress that
NASA underfunding made the new deal with Roscosmos on carrying US astronauts
with Russian vehicles necessary. New EASA Chief envisages new ISS partners and
Bigelow Aerospace attaches its experimental module.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Senate passed S. 1297, the U<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/1297/text">.S.
Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act</a>, which extends US operation of
the ISS until 30 September 2024. The respective House Bill, the </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EL;"><a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2262">Spurring
Private Aerospace Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship (SPACE) Act</a>, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">does
not provide for such extension, although the Obama administration <a href="http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/news/obama-administration-approves-extending-iss-to-2024">has
approved it since January 2014</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Senate bill foresees the
notion of “governmental astronaut”, who is </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">(A) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>(i) an employee of the United States
Government, including the uniformed services, engaged in the performance of a
Federal function under authority of law or an Executive act; or</span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> (ii) an
international partner astronaut;</span>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">(B) is identified by the
Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">(C) is carried within a launch
vehicle or reentry vehicle; and</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">(D) may perform or may not
perform activities directly relating to the launch, reentry, or other operation
of the launch vehicle or reentry vehicle.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The extension of ISS operations
through 2024 has already been approved by <a href="http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russia-approves-4-year-extension-of-international-space-station-program/526089.html">Russia</a>
and <a href="http://spacenews.com/editorial-canadian-commitment-builds-momentum-for-space-station-extension/">Canada</a>.
Russia has also <a href="http://spacenews.com/russia-and-its-modules-to-part-ways-with-iss-in-2024/">announced</a>
its intention to separate its module from the ISS after 2024 and prepare manned
lunar missions around 2030.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The new ESA Head, Johann-Dietrich
Woerner, envisages the participation of also India and China to the ISS, not
only <a href="http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/06/14/esa-head-india-china-involvement-iss/">to
widen international cooperation in the ISS</a>, as officially stated, but
probably also to cover funding difficulties that Europe and Japan <a href="http://spacenews.com/4203565th-international-astronautical-congress-space-station-partners-in-no-rush/">are
facing</a>. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Meanwhile, the US renewed the
agreement with Russia for the carriage of US astronauts on board Soyuz vehicles
to the ISS through 2019 for about $ 490 million. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden
sent <a href="http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/images/stories/NASA%20to%20Congress%20re%20Soyuz%20extension%20Aug%202015.pdf">a
letter</a> to Congress on Aug. 5, 2015 informing members that, due to continued
reductions in the president’s funding requests for the agency’s Commercial Crew
Program over the past several years, NASA was forced to extend its existing
contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) to transport US astronauts
to the ISS and urged for approval of the funding NASA has requested, in order
to promote US transportation capabilities to the ISS.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">At the same time, <a href="http://bigelowaerospace.com/nextstep-announcement/">NASA executed with
Bigelow Aerospace a contract</a> to test at the ISS the inflatable space
habitat that the company has developed. The inflatable module will be attached
to the ISS for two years, during which ISS crew members and ground-based
engineers will gather performance data, including its structural integrity and
leak rate. An assortment of instruments embedded within module will provide
important insights on its response to the space environment, including
radiation and temperature changes compared with traditional aluminum modules. Bigelow
Aerospace will demonstrate to NASA how its inflatable habitats can be used to
support safe, affordable, and robust human spaceflight missions to other
celestial bodies.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">All these developments underline
the importance of ISS for international cooperation and its role for the future
of human space exploration, notwithstanding politics on Earth.</span></div>
</div>
Michael Chatzipanagiotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220889989251290771noreply@blogger.com0