Brussels, 02/07/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission could propose a communication on the financing of security measures in civil aviation between now and the autumn. This communication would be based on the results of a study carried out on the different existing practices in the European Union to make proposals on the subject and complete the regulation on the establishment of common rules in civil aviation which has been in force since 2003 (EUROPE of 6 January 2003). This is a task which may prove difficult because the conclusions of the report bear witness to a confused and complicated situation, according to one civil servant.
Following the attacks of September 11, the EU devoted itself to a regulation to lay down security measures already taken in civil aviation such as increased access controls on airports and inspections of passengers, luggage and staff members. However, the regulation does not address one fundamental issue: who will pay for these measures? The European Parliament and the Council, who were totally opposed on this issue in the conciliation process, preferred to ask the European Commission to conduct a study on practices in member states of the EU (of 15) with a view to possible proposals (see bulletin quoted above). According to the results of the study, the situation in the EU is "very obscure", a civil servant told EUROPE. "The simplest situation is in the United Kingdom because everything is paid for by the industry", he explained. Some rare countries such as Germany grant subsidies in certain specific cases. In the majority of member states, however, costs are born by the airports, airlines and particularly passengers because they are incorporated into airport taxes and the price of air tickets, the civil servant continued. It is also difficult to assess what proportion of airport taxes and air tickets are devoted to financing security measures. In short, the situation lacks "transparency", he said.
The Commission will probably propose measures in its communication. Between now and then, another issue will be the subject of discussion: should the study be published? Some information is "confidential", some "embarrassing", the civil servant explains. The decision will be taken at a meeting of the civil aviation committee on 12 and 13 July.