Council agrees to armed air marshals 

In September 2005, the Commission proposed reinforcing aviation security rules, adopted after 11 September 2001, in order to address certain shortfalls in the area of in-flight security. 

It proposed placing armed air marshals on flights – an idea that was accepted by the Parliament in June 2006 , so long as states of departure, over-flight and arrival could maintain the right to refuse in-flight security officers taking weapons on-board (see EurActiv 20 June 2006). 

EU transport ministers, meeting on 12 October 2006, supported the Parliament’s position, stating that they wished to reach a “quick agreement” with the latter “in view of security incidents in the United Kingdom last August” (see EurActiv 21 August 2006). 

The pending issue remains the financing of security measures. Airports and airlines claim that governments should bear at least some of the costs because it is a national duty to protect the public. The Council said that this issue will be studied more carefully in order “to satisfy concerns of all parties”. 

Meeting on the same day, the Commission updated its list of unsafe airlines, adding companies from Kenya, Uganda and Kyrgyzstan to the list. It also said it would keep a close eye on Cyprus’ Ajet airline, which narrowly escaped being the first EU-country airline placed on the black list.