Strasbourg, 16/06/2006 (Agence Europe) - The new air security measures imposed after the terrorist attacks in New York on 11 September 2001 should be partly financed by users and Member States. On 15 June, the European Parliament adopted the first reading report by Paolo Costa (ALDE, Italy) and adopted all the amendments from the Transport Committee, amending draft regulation 2005/429 putting in place common rules on air security (see EUROPE 9184).
Regulation 2005/429 seeks to clarify and simplify arrangements on civil aviation, contained in regulation 2320/2002, but no provision is made for the funding of the planned new security measures (which appear in the annex of the draft). The EP considers that these basic standards, common to all Member States, should be financed by the States and by passengers. Member States can impose stricter measures, but would then become liable for the whole cost of implementation. All taxes and charges raised by Member States must be used “exclusively to meet airport or on board aircraft security costs” and not exceed the cost of the implementation of the basic security standards, stresses Parliament. It also called on the European Commission to propose a “uniform system” for the financing of these measures, in order to avoid any distortions in the market within the EU.
The EP believes (as does the Commission) that it should be up to Member States to decide whether or not they wish to authorise the presence on board aircraft of security agents, commonly known as “sky marshalls”. In addition, weapons cannot be transported on board the aeroplane, unless the appropriate security conditions have been fulfilled, added MEPs, who would like prior approval from the State of departure and the State of arrival, and, where applicable, “by any State which is over flown or where intermediate stops are made”. The EP rejected an amendment limiting the Commission's right of inspection over more stringent security measures imposed by a Member State. It considered that passengers whose behaviour was clearly abnormal and a threat to the security of the flight should be subject to appropriate security measures during the flight. It proposed the creation of a consultative group of interested parties, and called on the Commission to ensure that every airport which falls within the scope of the regulation is inspected at least once within the first four years of the regulation coming into force.