As part of an effort to improve security throughout its 28-member bloc and to also enhance the competitiveness of the European security industry, the European Commission recently proposed establishing a single EU certification for aviation security screening equipment. According to a statement issued by the Commission, an EU certificate would allow security equipment approved in one member state to be put on the market in others.
Dimitris Avramopoulos, EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs, and Citizenship said: "Technology can help us to prevent threats before they materialize, and strengthen the security of European citizens and the resilience of European society as a whole. Today's proposal, by simplifying and harmonizing the rules for the certification of airport screening equipment, will ensure that our high security screening standards are applied at airports everywhere in the EU. It will also contribute to boosting the competitiveness of the European security industry and improving its capacity to offer solutions enhancing the security of European citizens."
Security equipment used for the screening of persons, cabin baggage and goods in the aviation sector represents a significant market: it has an annual global turnover of more than $15 billion, of which over $4.6 billion is in the EU alone, the Commission said. Currently, however, the EU’s internal market for screening equipment is fragmented due to national certification procedures, which hamper market efficiency and the free movement of goods.
The existing EU legislation establishing the technical specifications and performance requirements for aviation security screening equipment at EU airports does not establish a legally binding EU-wide conformity assessment scheme to ensure that the required standards are met at all EU airports. Therefore, equipment certified in one EU member state cannot be put on the market in others. The Commission's proposal establishes a single EU certification system based on a common testing methodology and the issuance of certificates of conformity by manufacturers, which would be valid in all EU member states, according to the principle of mutual recognition.
Following the Brussels attacks earlier this year, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced that Europe needs a Security Union to effectively combat the threat of terrorism. In April, the Commission set out the way forward towards the achievement of an effective and genuine EU Security Union. As part of the announced initiatives, the Commission confirmed that proposals on airport screening equipment certification would be presented in 2016.
