Brussels, 18/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - The restrictions on passengers carrying liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGs) onto aeroplanes will remain in place beyond the deadline of April 2013. No definite timetable for the removal of the restrictions has been brought forward by the Commission, which, on Wednesday 18 July, revealed its plans for ending confiscations of LAGs at security checks in airports. Moves will not come immediately, however: the Commission is advocating a phased approach, beginning on 1 January 2014. There has to be certainty that airports will be absolutely ready, no longer for restrictions, but for better screening. Liquid explosives still pose a significant risk to civil aviation.
Not fully ready. The Commission made public its assessment of the screening of liquids, aerosols and gels at EU airports on Wednesday. After trials at around a dozen airports and consultations with stakeholders, the Commission has decided to postpone the lifting of the restrictions on LAGs to a later date, though, at this stage, it was unable to give a clear indication of when. It would appear that airports and transport equipment are not able to provide effective screening of passengers' carry-on liquids. Screening machines and the technology used, particularly software, still leave room for improvement with false alarms still too frequent.
Phased approach. The Commission prefers to act cautiously and recommends a step-by-step approach to lifting the restrictions on LAGs, initially scheduled for last year, then delayed until April 2013. This time, the first of the steps will be made in January 2014, when liquids bought in the shopping, or “duty-free”, area of airports will be able to be carried on board if they have undergone prior screening. This test phase could last around two years, then the Commission will bring forward other measures leading to the fully removing the restrictions by the end of the second phase. The Commission, however, is far from giving clear detail. It says only that the general aim of the approach is not to complicate life for passengers and to ensure a smooth transition towards lifting the restrictions with guarantees that security will not be compromised. The Commission decision at least allows airports the time to put the proper arrangements in place and to train their staff.
Legislative procedure. In order to extend the ban beyond spring 2013 and bring in its road map, the Commission will, this autumn, propose amendments to the legislation in force. The comitology procedure will be the one used: the European Parliament, then, will have the right of veto. All of this reduces the amount of time available for adopting the amendments, which must be in place before April.
Reaction from airports. European airports were relieved at the announcement by the Commission that it was postponing the removal of the ban and the move to systematic screening and said they back the Commission's proposed approach. Director General ACI EUROPE Olivier Jankovec stated: “As much as we would like to get rid of the existing restrictions on the carriage of LAGs, the trials carried out at several European airports have shown that the technology allowing for that just isn't there yet. Further progress is needed to develop more mature and robust technology fully geared for operational reality and effectively improving the passenger experience”. (MD/transl.rt)