Brussels, 08/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament transport committee will hold an exchange of views on Tuesday 9 November on air security and, in particular, on body scanners, which are strongly opposed by most MEPs (see EUROPE 10066). In the course of the discussion, the committee will take a first look at the draft report by Luis de Grandes Pascual (EPP, Spain) on the European Commission communication of June highlighting the need for joint European standards in this area (see EUROPE 10160). The Council gave the go-ahead to the preparation of a joint approach in June, especially to be able to legislate for the unilateral introduction of these machines by some member states (see EUROPE 10128). The first reading vote on the de Grandes Pascual report is scheduled for May. France recently challenged the optimism of the Commission on the performance of security scanners, pointing out that trials conducted at the Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport in the first quarter of this year had shown that scanners were still far from being fully effective. The ratio of cost to benefits was still not good enough. Without challenging the need for a joint approach, France takes the view that it would be better to use this technology to complement current security checks. Similarly, France says that it would be premature to begin the roll-out of equipment which automatically scans liquids (see EUROPE 10129). France suggests delaying this move by at least two years, until April 2013, and to abandon the phasing in of new scanning technology. (A.By./transl.rt)