EU ministers agree new cockpit security measures

Airlines

Europe moved to tighten its airline security last night when heads of government called for a new raft of anti-terrorist measures, including improvements in cockpit security among EU carriers.

At their emergency summit in Brussels, the leaders listed five new areas where security must be improved and demanded action from their transport ministers when they meet next on 15 October.

The items listed were protection of cockpit access, checking and monitoring of hold luggage, technical training for crew, the classification of weapons and quality control of security measures applied by EU member states.

Last night's statement raises the prospect of new rules which would seal cockpits electronically, making the task of hijackers much more difficult. But officials argue that the subject is complex because, in some scenarios, it is desirable for pilots to be able to leave the flight deck.

Guy Verhofstadt, the Prime Minister of Belgium, which holds the EU presidency, said Europe would also introduce harmonised and reciprocal testing of air security measures. "It's a peer review system to be introduced in the very near future, whereby member states will be able to check up on the effects of this uniformity of air security," he said.

The main body overseeing safety standards is the European Civil Aviation Conference, a Council of Europe body, which covers about 40 countries, including the 15 EU member states and applicant countries.

Its advisory security working group's main text is called "Document 30" and lays down basic protection measures including the search of aircraft, passengers, hold and carry-on baggage, cargo and catering equipment.

Officials claim several countries, including Germany, Italy and Poland do not subject all hold baggage to a search, while some apply different standards to international and domestic flights or treat bags differently depending on their destination.

Although all countries have agreed to introduce some form of screening (either physical searches or x-rays) to 100 per cent of hold baggage by December 2002, some officials are sceptical they will comply.

Meanwhile, under a 1994 recommendation, all countries should have a framework in place to scrutinise air cargo which goes into the holds of passenger aircraft or on freight flights. This would set out a structure under which air cargo would either be checked physically, screened by X-ray, or tested in a decompression chamber. The only freight exempt would be that from approved regular suppliers who would be monitored by random checks.

However, at least two European countries, Germany and Belgium, do not have the legislation in place to draw up such a regime.