With reference to the restrictions of electronic items in cabin baggage recently introduced by the U.S. and the United Kingdom from certain third country airports, we provide you with the official position of the European Union on the matter:
- Member States and the relevant services of the European Commission and the European External Action Service met on 29 March in an extraordinary AVSEC Meeting following the announcement by US and UK to ban certain electronic items carried by passengers in the cabin baggage on a number of flights. The meeting offered an opportunity to have a fruitful exchange of information on the current risk situation. Representatives from United States, Canada and Australia also participated.
- Member States and the relevant services of the EU concluded that the intelligence and aviation communities need to remain vigilant and ready to react to any increase in the current risk assessment. The Commission and the Member States will continue to proactively monitor to assess whether any action on their part might be warranted.
- The on-going exercise undertaken in assessing the current risk and the engagement of the EU and its Member States in assisting and cooperating with third countries in the effective and sustainable implementation of ICAO Annex 17, is part of the European Agenda on Security.
- The European Union remains fully committed in cooperating with ICAO in delivering the mandate contained in the UN Security Council Resolution No 2309 (2016), and will proactively engage with ICAO and international partners in the interest of a safer and more secure civil aviation to this effect.
On behalf of Carlos Mestre
Head of Unit A5 Security,
Francesco Faiulo
Policy Officer