TheCommissionproposedtodayEUcertificationsystem

forairportsecurityequipmenttopromoteamore
competitiveEUsecurityindustry.
Today,the European Commission has issued a proposalaimed to settle asingle EU certification procedure
foraviationsecurityscreeningequipment.ThenewEUsystemofmutualrecognitionforsecurityequipmentwill
helpovercomemarketfragmentation,strengthenthecompetitivenessoftheEUsecurityindustry,boostemployment
inthesectorandultimatelycontributetoimprovingaviationsecurityacrossEurope.
IntheaftermathoftheBrusselsattacks,on23March2016,PresidentJunckerannouncedthat,ifEuropewantsto
effectivelycombatthethreatofterrorism,needsaSecurityUnionbuildingontheEuropean Agenda on Security
On 20 April, the Commission set out the way forward towards the achievement of an effective and genuine
SecurityUnion.Aspartoftheannouncedinitiatives,theCommissionconfirmedthatproposalsonairportscreening
equipmentcertificationwouldbepresentedin2016.

Formoreinformationrelatedtosecurityintheaviationsector,readEuropean
ParliamentadoptsPNRDirectivetoFightTerrorism.

WhatareAviationsecurityScreeningequipment?
Aviation security screening equipment is the security equipment used for the screening of persons such
aspassengersandairportstaffcabinbaggage,holdbaggage,supplies,aircargoandmail.
Technologycanhelpustopreventthreatsbeforetheymaterialise,andstrengthenthesecurityofEuropeancitizens
andtheresilienceofEuropeansocietyasawhole.Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs, and Citizenship
Dimitris Avramopoulos said: Todays proposal, by simplifying and harmonising 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
improvingitscapacitytooffersolutionsenhancingthesecurityofEuropeancitizens.
Thiskindofequipmentsfortheaviationsectorrepresentsasignificantmarket,asitsannualglobalturnoveris
estimated around 14 billion. In the EU alone, it represents 4.2 billion. Yet, due to national certification
procedures hampering market efficiency and the free movement of goods, the EUs internal market for screening
equipmentisfragmentedatthemoment.

Whatwillbethedifferencebetweenthecurrentlegislationandthe
newone?
Although the existing EU legislation(Regulation (EC) No 300/2008) imposes technical specifications and
performancerequirementsforaviationsecurityscreeningequipmentatEUairports,itdoesnotestablishalegally
bindingEUwideconformityassessmentschemetoensurethattherequiredstandardsaremetatallEUairports.
Underthecurrentrules,MemberStateshavethepossibilitytoeitherrecognisecertificationsofotherMemberStates,
require additional testing to verify if the equipment meets the requirements prescribed by EU legislation or even to
hinderitsuseonitsterritory.

Consequently, equipment certified in one EU Member State cannot be put on the market in others. The
Commissions proposal will then set up a single EU certification system based on a common testing
methodologyandtheissuanceofcertificatesofconformitybymanufacturers,whichwouldbevalidinallEUMember
States,accordingtotheprincipleofmutualrecognition.