The Civil Aviation (Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing) Regulations 2012

SECTION 2 Accreditation

Validity of an accreditation

42.  An accreditation ceases to be valid if the accredited body ceases to hold an ATOL or its ATOL is suspended.

Revocation, suspension or variation of an accreditation

43.  The CAA may revoke, suspend or vary an accreditation if—

(a) it is no longer satisfied with regard to any of the matters specified in regulation 34(b);

(b) the accreditation body fails to comply with any term or condition of its accreditation; or

(c) it discovers that false information has been supplied for an application for an accreditation as an accredited body or a variation of such an accreditation.

Procedure for revocation, suspension, variation or refusal of accreditation

44.  Subject to regulation 45, if it is proposed to—

(a) revoke, suspend or vary an accreditation otherwise than on the application of the accredited body;

(b) grant or vary an accreditation in terms other than those requested by the applicant; or

(c) refuse to grant an accreditation,

the CAA must serve on the accredited body or the applicant for the accreditation at least 21 days notice of the proposal to make such a decision and its reasons for the proposal.

Expedited suspension of an accreditation

45.—(1) The CAA may suspend an accreditation notwithstanding that it has not complied with the requirements of regulation 44 if it—

(a) is no longer satisfied that the applicant’s—

(i) organisation, staffing, financial and other arrangements; and

(ii) conditions of membership and its arrangements for supervising its members,

are such that a person dealing with a member of the accredited body will receive a level of protection which is equivalent to the one they would receive if dealing similarly with an ATOL holder that is not an accredited body.

(b) serves on the accredited body at least 72 hours notice of its proposal to suspend the accreditation and its reasons for the proposal; and

(c) considers any representations which may be made to it by the accredited body before the expiration of such notice.

(2) In computing the period of 72 hours specified in paragraph (1)(b) the whole of any Saturday, Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday, or a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 in any part of the United Kingdom is to be disregarded.

Provisional variation of accreditation

46.—(1) Where in the CAA’s opinion it is in the interests of consumers to do so, the CAA may provisionally vary an accreditation with immediate effect.

(2) When issuing a provisional variation the CAA must supply a summary of the reasons for the provisional variation.

(3) A provisional variation remains in force until a decision is reached on the proposal to revoke, suspend or vary the accreditation unless the provisional variation is withdrawn by the CAA.

(4) A provisional variation may impose such terms and conditions on the accreditation as the CAA considers necessary for the protection of current or potential consumers.

Application for revocation, suspension or variation of accreditation

47.—(1) The accredited body may apply for its accreditation to be revoked, suspended or varied at any time, but may not apply for the variation of the accredited body standard terms.

(2) The CAA may refuse to consider any application for variation of an accreditation unless it is accompanied by the charge payable under a charging scheme made under section 11 of the Act.

Compliance with and variation of accredited body standard terms

48.—(1) The CAA must publish a schedule of standard terms for an accredited body.

(2) The CAA may publish a proposed variation to accredited body standard terms.

(3) A proposal to vary one or more of the accredited body standard terms must specify the date on which the variation will come into force which must be at least 28 days after the date of publication.

(4) Where an accreditation as an accredited body is subject to one or more of the accredited body standard terms, the accredited body must comply with any variation to the accredited body standard terms applicable to its accreditation.