The Commission is aware that aviation security measures, however much needed, come at a cost. They add to other airport procedures and increase the time you need to get to your airplane, they may be felt to be intrusive, and they add to the cost of flying in the form of aviation security charges. Doing away with security is not an option.
Therefore, the Commission is looking into ways of improving aviation security measures in the future, to make them more effective in more efficient ways. Different avenues are being explored. Can technology be improved? Can the measures be more targeted and differentiated, based on a risk assessment? Can they be more effective by being less predictable?
These questions were put to stakeholders and regulators in the aviation security world at a high level conference held in Brussels on 27 September 2011.
The Commission is engaged with stakeholders such as ACI, AEA and IATA who have come forward with their own ideas for the future. The Commission will launch the necessary studies and promote pilot projects and trials at specific EU airports to explore further different aspects before taking regulatory action.