Definition
A binding legal act issued by the European Commission that applies directly across all European Union member states. In aviation, Commission Regulations set technical and operational rules covering areas such as aircraft certification, flight crew licensing, air operations, and airworthiness, and they sit under the framework of the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Plain English
An aviation rule made by the European Commission that automatically becomes law in every EU country. Pilots, operators, and manufacturers in those countries must follow it.
Context Anchor
Seen in aviation material that refers to European aviation rules or compares European requirements with U.S. FAA requirements.
Derivation
From Latin commissio, meaning 'a task entrusted to someone.' The European Commission is the body entrusted with proposing and enforcing EU law, so a Commission Regulation is a rule it issues directly — no separate national law is needed for it to take effect.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots must know which Commission Regulations apply to their aircraft and operations to remain legal and avoid enforcement actions when flying in or near Europe.
Intuition Check
Do not read “commission” as a payment or fee here. It means the European Commission, which is a European government body that issues rules.
Example Sentence 1
The aircraft was operated under a Commission Regulation (EU) covering air operations, which set the minimum crew rest requirements for the flight.
Example Sentence 2
The training manual was updated to reflect the latest Commission Regulation (EU) changes to crew duty time limits.