As announced in April in its domestic security agenda, the European Commission unveiled an EU certification syste, on Wednesday 7 September for airport safety equipment, in order to promote greater competitiveness in the security sector in Europe. The Commission explains in a press release that a single EU certification system will be set up for inspection and filtering equipment used in air safety in order to make the European security sector more competitive.
The European Commission says that the EU certificate will mean that certified security equipment in one member state will also be able to be sold in other member states. The creation of an EU mutual recognition system for security equipment will help reduce fragmentation on the market, boost competitiveness, boost growth in the sector and help boost airline safety across the board in Europe, the Commission states.
Safety equipment used for inspecting and filtering individuals, cabin luggage and goods in the aviation sector is a big market with a turnover of €14 billion a year on average around the world, €4.2 bn of this in the EU alone.
EU legislation in force, defining the technical characteristics and performance requirements for inspection and filtering equipment for aviation security in EU airports, does not lay down a legally binding assessment of compliance at EU level that would ensure that the required standards are respected in all airports in the EU. Equipment certified in one member state therefore cannot be marketed elsewhere in the EU.
The European Commission’s proposal establishes a single certification system across the EU, based on common testing methods and the issuing by manufacturers of certificates of compliance that will apply in all EU member states under the mutual recognition system, the Commission explains. (Originval version in French by Solenn Paulic)