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Aviation Security
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Following the 10 August 2006 terrorist plot in the UK, as from 6 November 2006, new security rules were implemented for travellers taking a flight from EU, Norwegian, Icelandic and Swiss airports, regardless of destination. These rules allow airport retailing after security checks to be business as usual with no new restrictions, except for travellers transferring at another EU airport. Their liquids, aerosols and gel (LAGs) purchases will be placed in a sealed tamper evident bag, as will purchases at airports with retailing situated airside but before security checks.
However, it is important to note that travellers arriving in the EU / EEA from a non-EU country airport and transferring to another flight, unless arriving from an approved airport (see below), will not be allowed to carry larger quantities than the permitted personal allowances (max. 100 ml. containers) on board their next flight and these liquids, gels, etc. will have to be forfeited at security points, including duty free purchases made at their originating airport, even if they are sealed in a tamper evident bag.
Many countries outside Europe have now implemented the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) recommendations on the security of liquids on board of aircraft and the supply chain for LAGs and STEBs at airports. For more information, access the news on the ICAO website.
However, without agreement from the EU that recognises their retail operations as being secure, there will be no change to the rules applied to transfer passengers arriving in the EU from these countries.
There has, however, been significant progress in forging a solution to the EU transfer passenger problem. On 31 July 2007, the European Commission formally adopted a regulation that allows for the recognition of liquids bought in selected third country airports and the European Union will now be able to agree to accept duty free liquids from “recognised” countries as being secure, thereby allowing transfer passengers to continue their journeys without having to surrender their goods.
If the Commission is satisfied that the security measures applied in a third country in relation to liquids meets ICAO standards, the Commission can decide to grant exemptions. The first country to be formally approved was Singapore on 14 December 2007 and as from 03 January 2008 travellers from Changi Airport have not had to forfeit their duty free LAGs when passing though transfer security screening points at EU airports.
Croatia became the second country to receive EU approval and as from 20 August 2008 travellers with LAGs arriving from the six Croatian airports are now free to transfer at EU airports.
An agreement was finally reached with the US in January 2009 in a somewhat controversial move, as this decision is only one-way - limited to those passengers travelling from the United States into the EU. For outbound passengers from the EU to the United States, current restrictions on liquid purchases will continue to apply. The new arrangement for EU bound travellers from international airports in the US is now anticipated to come into effect in the late summer due to unforseen delays in finalising technical arrangments.
In mid-March 2009, South Korea became the 2nd country from the Asia/Pacific region to be formally approved. However, ETRC understands that, despite the fact that the legislation has already been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, it will not be enacted as scheduled due to some difficulties that have arisen in the bilateral negotiations between the EU and South Korea on aviation matters.
Despite this disappointing development, we still need many more non-EU countries to apply for recognition by the European Commission. The ETRC is available to provide any further advice on the recognition process and how this may be expedited.
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