Press Release: Commission examines the use of security scanners at EU airports

The European Commission on 15 June 2010 issued a communication assessing the use of security scanners at EU airports, at the request of the European Parliament and Member States. In the wake of the terrorist attempt to use explosives on the Amsterdam–Detroit flight on 25 December 2009, security scanners are being increasingly used and are continuing to be trialled in several EU Member States including the UK, the Netherlands, France and Italy. Security scanners as such currently fall outside the scope of the EU regulations on aviation security — there is a patchwork of regulation in different Member States. The Commission's report highlights that this screening method offers a real possibility to reinforce passenger security. The Commission is in favour of an EU approach to ensure that, where Member States decide to use security scanners, their deployment and operation is based on common standards, requiring basic detection performance as well as ensuring a harmonised level of compliance with European fundamental rights and health provisions. It will seek the views of the European Parliament and of the Council in the light of the factual information gathered in the report.

European Commission: Memo: MEMO/10/261:Commission communication on the use of security scanners at European airports — questions and answers http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/261&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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