Brussels, 14/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Home Affairs Commissioner, Franco Frattini, is opposed to the ban on liquids being carried in air passengers' hand luggage. “The total ban on liquids is perhaps out of proportion”, he told the European Parliament on 12 September. His statement is in line with the legislative proposal presented to the College of Commissioners on Wednesday by Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot, who also aims to restrict the quantity of liquid that can be carried on board aircraft by passengers (EUROPE 9264). “We must adopt proportionate measures”, said Commissioner Frattini, who considered it preferable to “place emphasis on technical research” thanks, for example, to the setting in place of a new kind of security portal for precision detection of dangerous substances (currently in trial use in the United Kingdom). On this occasion, Mr Frattini recalled that the Commission had launched a Green Paper on detection and related technologies early September allowing Member States' repression services to effectively prevent attacks on security (EUROPE 9257). A special effort must also be made for detonator detection, he explained.
With a view to the informal Justice and Home Affairs Council on 21 and 22 September, Mr Frattini foresaw the creation of rapid response expert groups that could be made available to Member States to forestall terrorist attacks using explosives. The Commissioner will be inaugurating the conference on the safety of explosives in Brussels on 9 and 10 October, an event that will make it possible to discuss the components of explosives (including liquid components), detection, traceability, transport and storage.