European rules on aviation security

The European Parliament adopted a new regulation 300/2008 that aims to ensure a high level of aviation security throughout the EU.

Common basic security standards include, inter alia, screening of passengers and cabin baggage, access control, screening of hold baggage, aircraft security checks, security controls for cargo and mail, staff recruitment and training as well as patrols and other physical controls.

Security programmes at national airport and air carrier level shall assure that the common rules are applied and maintained.

Member States are free to apply more stringent measures. However, those measures must be "relevant, objective, non-discriminatory and proportional" to the risk that is being addressed.

For the first time, in-flight security measures such as access to the cockpit, unruly passengers and in-flight security officers ('sky marshals') are addressed at European level. The new regulation doesn't oblige Member States to deploy in-flight security officers. Each Member State retains the competence to do or not to do so.

Passengers and/or their baggage arriving on flights from third countries that have aviation security standards equivalent to the EU law need not be re-screened. Therefore, agreements between the EU and third countries, which recognise that the security standards applied in the third country are equivalent to the EU standards, should be encouraged.

The regulation enters into force on the twentieth day after publication in the Official Journal and will be applied not later than 24 months after this date.