34.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (6), the CAA may issue a certificate of validation rendering valid for the purposes of this Order any flight crew licence granted under the law of any country other than the United Kingdom.
(2) In accordance with Council Directive 91/670 EEC M1 on mutual acceptance of personnel licences for the exercise of functions in civil aviation as it has effect in accordance with the EEA Agreement M2 as amended by the Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No. 7/94 of 21st March 1994 M3, the CAA shall, subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), issue a certificate of validation rendering valid a relevant licence granted under the law of an EEA State.
(3) For the purposes of this article, a relevant licence is one based on requirements equivalent to those for the equivalent licence granted by the CAA under article 27.
(4) The CAA—
(a)may ask the Commission for an opinion on the equivalence of a licence submitted for validation under paragraph (2) of this article within three weeks of receipt by the CAA of all necessary information in respect of an application for validation;
(b)shall, if it does not ask the Commission for such an opinion, within three months of receipt of all necessary information in respect of the application either issue the certificate of validation or inform the applicant of any additional requirements or tests which are necessary to enable the CAA to grant the certificate of validation.
(5) If after the examination of a licence the CAA has reasonable doubts as to the equivalence of that licence—
(a)the CAA may stipulate additional requirements or tests (or both) as necessary to enable the certificate of validation to be issued;
(b)the CAA shall notify any such additional requirements or tests (or both) as soon as reasonably practicable to the licence holder, the authority which issued the licence and to the Commission.
(6) In accordance with the said Council Directive, the CAA shall issue a certificate of validation rendering valid any licence issued in accordance with the requirements of Annex 1 to the Chicago Convention if the bearer satisfies the special validation requirements laid down in the annex to the said Council Directive.