By Bruno Waterfield - 4th September 2006
Total bans or new restrictions on the quantity of liquids carried in air passenger hand baggage will be discussed by EU air security experts on Wednesday.
The European commission is urging member states against knee jerk responses to new security measures introduced by the UK and US.
An alleged August 10 terror plot, said to involve disguised liquid explosives concealed in soft drinks bottles, has put EU and US airports on high-alert.
Commission officials note that detection problems using conventional screening technology could see new airport restrictions or even bans on liquids in passenger hand luggage.
But Brussels, along with many in the air industry, is looking for a “solid assessment” of risk before new permanent air security measures are required across the EU.
“We work on the assumption that current screening has limitations in respect of screening liquids.”
“We need more scientific information on the quantity of material needed to blow an aircraft up. We need analysis,” said a commission official.
“The commission is determined to do solid work before making recommendations for EU-wide measures. It is something we can not do in a few days.”
Technical and scientific work on the destructive explosive potential of possible liquid devices are ongoing as UK police investigations continue and intelligence is gathered on the August plot.
Commission officials have revealed that one new terrorist technique involves creating a false platform in containers to mask explosive with a layer of a real product.
Debate following an emergency meeting of EU aviation experts last Wednesday focused on either a “categorical ban or prohibitions on the amounts of liquids” carried by passengers.
Many officials and airports are anxious about the impact of bans on passengers carrying toiletries, medicines or baby food in hand luggage – many business travellers, for example, do not check in bags for the hold.
Work is ongoing to define the minimum or maximum limits, to assess the impact of more random searches on baggage and the impact on duty free purchases, up to a third of revenue for EU airports.
“We need analysis for where to put minimum of maximum amounts of liquids,” said the commission official.
“You have to do tests, preparing items to measure strength within different circumstances. These tests take time.”
“It is clear that EU and member state technical experts have to carefully watch that conclusions are based on possible risks and not place airports under strain.”
Random hand baggage searches or screening using hold luggage x-ray machines all impact on airport capacity to handle passengers.
Restricting and enforcing bans or luggage size restrictions are all factors for the aviation experts, as the UK and US pressure the EU for action.
Permanent security restrictions are unlikely to be agreed this week and EU rules allow member states, such as the UK, to introduce special measures in the meantime.
After agreement among national experts from the 25 EU governments measures can be introduced by a commission decision without reference to MEPs or councils of ministers.
Possible new restrictions are looming on portable or hand held computers such as laptops amid security concerns they could be used “electronically to launch explosive devices”.
Laptops – many now enabled with wireless devices – are increasingly regarded as a new threat in the hands of terrorists.
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.