Finland Moves To Tighten EU Aviation Security

Current EU president Finland said on Aug. 18 it was taking steps to speed up improvements to EU-wide aviation security after the discovery of an alleged plot to bomb airliners flying from Britain to the United States.

The Finnish transport ministry said it wanted a meeting of an EU expert committee on aviation security to be brought forward to Aug. 30, and had called for a working party to meet in early September to press ahead with an amendment already in the pipeline to an EU aviation security regulation.

Finland wants the amendment to be approved as soon as possible following Britain’s discovery of an alleged plot to blow up a number of airliners over the Atlantic, the ministry said in a statement.

Britain raised its terrorist threat alert to the highest level and drastically tightened airport security last week after arresting two dozen people suspected of plotting to smuggle onto aircraft liquid explosives disguised as drinks.

EU members are discussing harmonizing security checks across the bloc to prevent such attacks originating in other member states.

EU transport ministers will review the impact on aviation security of the alleged plot being investigated in Britain when they meet on Oct. 12, the Finnish ministry said.

Airport authorities in some EU countries followed Britain last week in banning liquids from hand baggage on planes, and EU experts meeting in early September will discuss whether such a ban should be extended across the bloc, an EU Commission spokesman said on Aug. 16.

REUTERS