Aviation security rules: European Commission to increase transparency
The majority of rules relating to aviation security will be made available to the public, the
European Commission has decided on Friday. The publication of the EU list of prohibited articles will make it easier for passengers to know what they can – and cannot – take on board an aircraft, while it increases transparency of EU rules in this domain. This decision will not change the existing legislation relating to aviation security. Rather, the primary aim is to place a significant proportion of the rules – which have until now not been officially published – into the public domain, whilst not compromising aviation security.
Antonio Tajani, Commission Vice-President in charge of transport said that:
“When the Commission adopted its implementing rules on aviation security it was decided – with the support of the Member States – to keep them all out of the public domain for security reasons. Five years on, the experience we have gained enables us to have greater transparency without prejudicing security. When in place, this will be yet another positive step for the benefit of passengers travelling in Europe.”
Information on articles that are currently prohibited from being carried by passengers in their cabin baggage or hold baggage was until now available through airlines or airports. The European Commission had already published this information in 2004 and 2006.
The existing Commission Regulation (EC)
No 622/2003 laying down measures for the implementation of the common basic standards on aviation security and its subsequent amendments are repealed and replaced by two legislative acts, a Commission Regulation and a Commission Decision. All those elements of the existing rules that can be placed in the public domain without adversely prejudicing aviation security are in the Regulation, whereas the Decision contains those elements which are deemed sensitive to place in the public domain. An example of what will be contained in the Decision (and thus not made public) is the minimum performance standards of security screening equipment used at airports.
Besides, the adoption of the Regulation and Decision addresses the wishes that were expressed on several occasions by the European Parliament.
The Regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union (and thus available via the official website (
http://eur-lex.europa.eu). In addition, it will be placed on the European Commission's Transport website:
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air_portal/security.
The Decision is addressed to the Member States, who will be responsible of making available the elements contained in the Decision to duly authorised persons on a 'need-to-know' basis. This respects Regulation (EC)
No 2320/2002 of the European Parliament and Council establishing common rules in the field of civil aviation security which requires in Article 8 both that certain measures
“shall be kept secret and not published” and that the national authorities shall make available the rules on aviation security to parties on a need-to-know basis.
Vicky Karantzavelou
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Monday, August 11, 2008