Regulation EU2020/877 (all EU airports have Customs without PNR/PPR)

chflyer wrote:

So we now have Germany, Sweden, and Croatia on the list. Now we just need to crack the hard nuts of France and Italy as a priority.

yep, that would the best thing for Swiss aviation since sliced bread 🤓
But not holding my breath on this one… now what about reciprocal from the Swiss customs?

Peter wrote:

I am following this with interest (as I am sure are many others, all waiting for “somebody else” to test it) because together with immigration on PN in Germany and Italy (has anyone here tested that one?) it opens up a lot of destinations.

Yes, for most of us all we can really do is sign the petition from @Frans and hope for something to change.

If only there was a lawyer in the group ready to donate some time we could all join together, buy a low-value 2-place aircraft with runout engine (€10-20k), and then make some trips directly to France and Italy airfields without customs and see what happens. If the aircraft is seized, then take the relevant agency to court on the basis of this EU regulation overriding national law…. I know, I know …… but one can dream.

Dan wrote:

But not holding my breath on this one… now what about reciprocal from the Swiss customs?

My biggest issue with the Swiss customs forms are not the forms themselves, as most fields allow 2-3hrs PN, but far more the partially incredible fees. The “customs fee” goes not to customs, instead, it goes to the airfield for this kind of ‘service’. Some airfields like Buochs or Wangen-Lachen ask an outrageous fee of 50 CHF or more per form! But 20 CHF is also very common and still way too much. At least it is free at some fields, like Neuchatel, Bex or Lommis, (and Birrfeld outbound), but that is more the exception.

For sure Switzerland could make stuff a lot easier and cheaper for GA, if they would also cancel these mandatory eAPIS alike forms. I don’t think that it is going to happen soon, unfortunately.

chflyer wrote:

If only there was a lawyer in the group ready to donate some time we could all join together, buy a low-value 2-place aircraft with runout engine (€10-20k), and then make some trips directly to France and Italy airfields without customs and see what happens. If the aircraft is seized, then take the relevant agency to court on the basis of this EU regulation overriding national law…. I know, I know …… but one can dream.

That would be an amazing idea! There are some pilots out there who already tried it and seemed to get away with it at small Italian Aviosuperificie aerodromes. But I feel this could be very risky and also dependent on local Italian customs office.