Discussed this month by the Council of the European Union: a progress report on air cargo security.
To recap: at the end of October 2010, two parcel bombs sent via air freight from Yemen to the US were intercepted and defused during handling at Dubai and East Midlands Airport, respectively.
As a result, the ministers in the margins of the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 8-9 November
2010 set up a ‘High Level Working Group’ on strengthening air cargo security tasked with finding ways to toughen air-cargo security measures without stifling the business.
The working group presented its proposals to the Justice and Home Affairs Council and to the
Transport Council in early December 2010. Measures proposed aimed to close security gaps and to develop a coordinated approach at EU and international level for additional security measures. The plan provides for actions designed to strengthen and harmonise EU rules, improve coordination and information exchange within the EU, and enhance global standards.
At EU level, this includes measures such as upgrading detection methods and cargo security checks, establishing common criteria for assessing risks posed by cargo from non-EU countries, reviewing procedures for the designation of "trusted" consignors and carriers, and improving security training for operators and inspectors.