EU secures air security deal, dodges financing issue

Attempts to make it compulsory for states to take on at least part of the costs of stringent new anti-terror measures imposed on European airports and airlines have fallen through as members of Parliament bowed into pressure from national governments on the issue.

After months of disagreement, members of the European Parliament and representatives of the EU’s 27 member states reached a consensus, on 11 January, regarding the revision of the regulatory framework for aviation security. 

The main bone of contention had been Parliament’s demand that the cost of measures for fighting terrorism in airports and planes be shared by national governments, and that, in cases where a member state wishes to impose more stringent measures than those set out at EU level, it would have to cover the whole cost by itself. 

MEPs said such provisions would help avoid any distortions of competition between airports and air carriers in different countries, while at the same time ensuring that security measures are carried out to the highest standard in all airports, rather than at the lowest cost. 

But member states rejected the idea and in the final compromise text, it was decided that each government should remain free to determine “in which circumstances and to what extent the costs of security measures should be borne by the State, the airport entities, air carriers, other responsible agencies, or users”. 

In the meantime, the Commission has been given until the end of 2008 to carry out a review and produce a formula for calculating these costs. 

The EP’s Transport Committee Chairman and aviation security rapporteur Paolo Costa gave a cautious welcome to the compromise, saying: “It would have been unfair to keep governments away from any financial responsibility in the matter and to burden all citizens without any distinction between users and non-users.”

The representative bodies of European airlines and airports also welcomed the “much-needed overhaul” of existing security legislation, with a view to adapting it to the latest technological developments and to new risks. But they highlighted the need to resolve the financing issue, “given that society at large is being targeted”. 

“Let’s not forget that for European airports, security alone now represents up to 35% of their operating costs,” stressed Director General of the Airports Council International Europe Olivier Jankovec. 

The compromise deal also lays down harmonised security arrangements regarding passenger and luggage screening, aircraft and crew controls, and in-flight security for all 27 countries. In a key change, it legitimises the placing of armed air marshals on flights so long as special security conditions are fulfilled. 

Certain elements of the package, which must still be formally approved by EU transport ministers and in the full plenary session of the Parliament in March, could come into force by April 2008. 

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