92001E2843

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2843/01

by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 October 2001)

Subject: Checks at airports

The recent serious terrorist attacks using aircraft as missiles piloted by the hijackers themselves have drawn attention to security measures, especially as regards checks on passengers and baggage before embarkation. For some time now this kind of check has been carried out mainly by private companies using unskilled and poorly paid staff, with the police intervening only secondarily and on request. Does the Commission intend to draw up new procedures to ensure that staff are more specialised and that those responsible for airport security take on greater responsibility for the certification of the standards adopted and their practical implementation?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(22 November 2001)

On 10 October 2001 the Commission adopted on a proposal for a regulation of the Parliament and the Council on establishing common rules in the field of civil aviation security. The incorporation of these rules into Community law will enable them to be applied in an effective manner and this process will be subject to continuous control by the Commission, using a peer review inspection mechanism.

The common rules contained in the proposal are based on the current best practices in the Member States and will aim at increased control of both international and domestic flights.

They will chiefly be concerned with:

- control of access to sensitive areas of airports and aircraft;

- control of passengers and their hand luggage;

- control and monitoring of hold luggage;

- control of cargo and mail;

- training of ground staff;

- definition of specifications for the equipment for the above controls;

- classification of weapons and other items which are prohibited to bring on to aircraft or into the sensitive areas of airports.

When adopted this Regulation will indeed respond to the request of the Honourable Member. The procedure for implementation at national level will largely rely on the measures taken by the Member States themselves in accordance with their national practices, so that the execution of training can vary from one state to another. Such training can indeed be done in some Member States by national officials while in others it would be done by private companies under the supervision of governmental staff.

Moreover the Commission and the Presidency have decided, as agreed on 14 September 2001, to create a multidisciplinary ad-hoc group to examine what other steps should be taken to enhance the current security measures and respond to the new types of threat. The group will report to the Council for consideration at its next meeting on 7 December 2001.