The UK boss of aerospace giant Airbus has called for the country to remain in a key European safety body after Brexit.
Senior vice president Katherine Bennett told MPs that maintaining full membership of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) would benefit UK manufacturers.
The UK will not be part of the group after it withdraws from the European Union unless an agreement is reached.
Giving evidence to the Commons’ Exiting the European Union Committee, Ms Bennett said Airbus wants the UK to keep its “enormous influence” in EASA and avoid the creation of additional regulatory hurdles.
“We don’t want double regulation, we don’t want double costs for UK suppliers and that’s what might be the effect in the long term,” she told MPs.
“Not to have voting rights would be a shame for this country.
“My company, we can manage. As you know, we are a very European-based organisation and will have influence through other member states.
“But, on behalf of the British aviation and aerospace industry, it would be much more preferable to have full influence.”
Airbus makes aircraft wings in Broughton, North Wales (Martin Rickett/PA)
The UK could follow the path of Norway and Switzerland, which have associate membership of EASA with no voting rights.
Ms Bennett said there is a UK expert on every technical community at EASA and it is vital the UK continues to work “on an international scale” in safety regulation.
Her comments come a day after the head of the US civil aviation regulator urged the UK to reveal by next month whether it will remain in EASA.
Michael Huerta, of the Federal Aviation Administration, said the organisation will be forced to embark on the “much more costly strategy” of considering multiple scenarios for how it will deal with UK companies after Brexit in March 2019 if there is no clarity by January 2018.