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At the dawn of the New Year, I would like to express my warm wishes for you. Traditionally this is the time of the year to reflect on the past and set new paths for the future. So we cannot move ahead if we don't look back at what we have achieved throughout 2013.

Together with the support of all European pilots we demonstrated our primary objective for ensuring a safe aviation system in Europe. Our intensive campaign for safer, science-based Flight Time Limitation rules had undoubtedly been at the heart of all pilots across Europe. While the rules were adopted with some notable deficits, the campaign had the merit of showing the collective dimension of our efforts. In 2013, we also made great progress on the revision of the EU Occurrence Reporting Regulation, for which ECA has been an instrumental stakeholder representing those who actually report many of these safety occurrences. Furthermore, we witnessed how the Ryanair Pilot Group developed into an independent and representative body - an example for pilots across Europe for what solidarity and unity look like, especially when facing uncooperative counterparts.

ECA also laid the foundation of its Safety Strategy, outlined in our new "Flight Plan to Safety". A first copy was symbolically handed over to Patrick Ky, EASA's new Executive Director, with the determination that ECA will continue to protect its values and mission to work for aviation safety.

The list with achievements goes further and is summarised in ECA's Annual Report. And while you can never know what 2014 might bring we have set ambitious goals for the New Year to come.

At ECA we have a profound belief that every pilot deserves decent employment conditions and fair treatment from the employer. This is why at the top of our priority list are the effects of "casualised labour" in Europe. Another important point for ECA is identifying any unfair competition practices on the aviation market, inside Europe but also from outside. A special Task Force has been set up already in December to start immediately to work on this important issue.

All in all, priorities might shift but the driving forces remain the same. Together we are "Piloting Safety" and making sure our expert voices are heard in Europe. On behalf of ECA, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2014!

 

Nico Voorbach