Brussels, 08/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - In the aftermath of last week's foiled parcel bomb attacks (EUROPE 10250), Germany, in particular, has insisted upon the importance of establishing common European standards to be applied to security inspections for freight and post from third countries to the EU. Belgium's Home Minister Annemie Turtelboom announced on Monday 8 November after the JHA Council that a joint group of experts on internal affairs and transport would soon be set up. The group would examine proposals, in order, inter alia, to send experts to airports, including those of non-EU member countries, with a view to improving controls, the minister said. Proposals will then be examined at the joint meeting of transport and home ministers on 2 December.
Measures proposed on Monday by the German minister for home affairs, Thomas de Maizière, would include a Community assessment and surveillance mechanism for security in third country airports. In addition to this measure, the “five-point plan” presented by de Maizière proposes: - the coordination of all immediate decisions taken by member states preceding the closure of airspace to aircraft from non-EU countries; - convergence of national competencies in the domain of air security and the fight against terrorist threats, which would consist of setting up a single Community body in charge of air traffic sector issues; - a common approach for improved cargo inspections from countries that are regarded as not having sufficiently high security; - establishment of common criteria (substance wise criteria), which would help to establish a profile of at-risk substances or products. According to a German diplomat, Berlin is hoping that concrete proposals on this question, “could still be developed before the end of this year”. Discussions on enhancing freight inspections from third countries will also be the subject of more technical discussions. At the behest of the Commission and the Belgian presidency of the EU on 5 November, EU air security experts agreed on a series of principles that are expected to govern the Community approach to this question. The security committee considers that security controls should be based on risk (as well as other criteria). Scanning quality during prior flight stopovers, as well as aircraft flight itineraries, the nature and provenance of the remittance and the kind of flight (freight or passenger) should be factors to be taken into consideration during security controls. The committee also highlighted the importance of strengthening international and bilateral security cooperation and fast-track Community provisions for speeding up the deployment of new scanning methods. The discussion is expected to continue during the freight working group meeting on 11 November. Security inspections of freight transported by air from third countries are currently governed by the standards set out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. European legislation does, however, impose compulsory scanning controls of all cargoes prior to embarkation. (A.By. /B.C./transl.fl)