EP wil Europese regels ter bescherming van vliegtuigpassagiers bij body scan (en)

Body scanners at airports may be useful but the privacy and health of passengers must be protected. Moreover, a broader approach to security is needed, as scanning alone cannot stop terrorism. These were the views of most MEPs speaking in a debate at the European Parliament Transport Committee on Tuesday.

An EP resolution of October 2008 asked the Commission to propose minimum European standards for the use of body scanners at airports. The Commission intends to do this in the first half of 2011 but Parliament will first express its opinion in a report.  Parliament's rapporteur Luis de Grandes Pascual (EPP, ES) told the meeting "We cannot have security at any price".

In view of recent attempts to hide explosives in cargo, the rapporteur suggested that other aviation security issues be included, a proposal supported by committee chair Brian Simpson (PES, UK) and many other MEPs.

Mandatory or optional? And who will cover the costs?

Timothy Kirkhope (ECR, UK) regretted the lack of uniform practice among Member States: currently only about four states use body scanners. He also said it must be decided who will finance the new measure. Security measures should not be too expensive nor should they cause excessive delays that harm the economy, stressed Gesine Meissner (ALDE, DE). She also pointed out that in Germany and some other countries X-rays may only be used for medical purposes.

The use of body scanners should remain optional for Member States, with the EU ensuring equal protection of passengers' privacy and health, argued Knut Fleckenstein (S&D, DE). Peter van Dalen (ECR, NL) concurred but stressed that "we face a terrorist threat, therefore we have to act", even if it costs more. According to Jörg Leichtfried (S&D, AT), "security is a public good", therefore the public authorities have a duty to cover the costs.

Reasons for cautiousness

"Security is also an industry" and huge amounts of money are going into it, pointed out Sophie In 't Veld (ALDE, NL). She stressed the need to clarify stakeholders' interests. Meanwhile, Eva Lichtenberger (Greens/EFA, AT) noted that the results of testing body scanners "have not been reassuring" and their advantages have been exaggerated. "We should be cautious about implementing such measures", she concluded. If a system is not effective, we should refrain from using it, agreed Spyros Danelis (S&D, GR), adding that "people should not be used as guinea pigs".

EU framework needed

Favouring the introduction of body scanners, Izascun Bilbao Barandica (Greens/EFA, ES) stressed the importance of anticipating the actions of terrorists, rather than reacting to them. "We need a clear European project" involving EU scientific centres that would develop new relevant technologies, she added. Saïd El Khadraoui (S&D, BE) emphasised the need for a common European legal framework, rather than having Member States take unilateral steps.

Privacy should be guaranteed

Jaromír Kohlícek (GUE/NGL, CZ) expressed concern about passengers' privacy and wanted measures to ensure that body images "do not end up in tabloids". Agustín Díaz De Mera García Consuegra (EPP, ES) believed that "we need to sacrifice some comfort for safety" but that privacy should be guaranteed and the screening images destroyed immediately after use. Pregnant women and children need a different type of check, he added.

Importance of intelligence and political will

"Body scanners are not a panacea", claimed Philip Bradbourn (ECR, UK), adding that monitoring passengers and gathering intelligence were much more important. "We should not rely on airports to pick up terrorists", agreed committee chair Brian Simpson. He called for a common EU approach to airport security but regretted that Member States did not show sufficient political will in this respect, while some of them blindly followed the demands of the US.

The European Commission representative Daniel Calleja said that common EU aviation security rules already existed. In the first half of next year the Commission  plans to adopt an implementing act on the introduction of body scanners at EU airports. The EP will have the right to abolish it if it finds the act unsatisfactory.

In the chair: Brian Simpson (S&D, GB)

09.11.2010