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| Europe |
| EU to enhance security for air cargo |
| 2010-11-06 |
| (KUNA) -- Just days after authorities in several EU countries intercepted packages with hidden explosives that were placed on aircraft, the European Union said here today that it will step up measures on air cargo security. "We need to adapt to the security risk we face. Several EU Member States, as well as the US, have taken emergency measures to deal with the immediate situation. This was the right thing to do to address the short-term risk, and it is fully in line with the EU's security rules," EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas told a presser here this afternoon. He noted that the recent events highlight the need for more coordination at EU level. "We need to develop an appropriate response in order to protect our citizens;preserve an efficient air transport system; and safeguard the crucial role of air transport in the economy," he said. The European Commission, in cooperation with the Belgian EU Presidency, is holding a special meeting Friday where experts from EU countries and the aviation industry are assessing the situation and working out the next steps to enhance the security system for cargo and mail, Kallas noted. "We should remain smart: simply adding more layers of cargo screening would be hard to implement, and cause great operational difficulties. We need an approach based on risk assessment, better integrated with intelligence," he added. |
| Posted by:Fred |