Brussels, 20/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 19 July, the United States Senate passed a bill, Regulation HR1, introducing radiation scanning of all cargo-containing ships before they leave foreign ports for the United States, a major security bill to carry out the 9/11 Commission's recommendations. A provision allows a five-year window for radiation scanning technology, and the inspection of all cargo on freight and passenger planes bound for the US will also be required within three years.
This measure, highly controversial in Europe, is based on an initiative from the US Congress. It was openly criticised in January 2007 by the EU Customs Union Commissioner Laszlo Kovacs who sent a letter to US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff expressing the EU's concerns about the United States' plans (see EUROPE 9352). Awaiting the final adoption of the law by the Congress (possibly in the autumn), the US and EU customs authorities set up a pilot project in the port of Southampton in the UK. The US customs authorities also set up pilot projects in five other ports (in Honduras, Pakistan, Oman, Singapore and South Korea). The results are eagerly awaited by both the EU and the US, both of which feel that scanning of all containers is not feasible technically or economically and in terms of maritime safety, such a move is highly disproportionate. Both sides feel that a risk-based approach would be better and would be less damaging to global trade. (aby)