EEA CHAIRMAN: GOVERNMENTS SHOULD HELP WITH AIR CARGO SECURITY COSTS

EEA CHAIRMAN: GOVERNMENTS SHOULD HELP WITH AIR CARGO SECURITY COSTS    Governments should help industry shoulder costs to meet next year’s European Union aviation security measures, said the chairman of the European Express Association Security Committee.
   “The EEA fully supports the concept of air cargo security regulation,” said John Goldsworthy, chairman of the EEA Security committee. “However, it does not support the governmental view that the costs of all security measures should be borne by industry.”
   Goldsworthy, speaking at the World Mail & Express Europe Conference, said the European Council of Ministers was to ratify legislation covering new EU aviation security measures on May 24, with a section on cargo, express courier and mail activities to become effective Jan. 1.
   Goldsworthy pointed out some of the issues that will arise from the rollout of the new security measures:
   * EEA estimates show about 150,000 staff in Europe will require formalized air cargo security training.
   * Physical security for sites, airports and planes and handling of goods will have to be modified to comply with new security requirements.
   * Smaller companies may not be able to complete with the larger ones, and may have to outsource to third-party service providers to implement screening with manpower and technology.
   * Staff vetting for required or existing personnel will drive up costs.
   Goldsworthy added the measures would only provide a base-level requirement, which is independent of any nations that will add on their own requirements.
   “So, we again get into the field of non-harmonization, with 15 regulated air cargo security programs throughout Europe,” he said. “In the current aviation security programs in the U.S., the government is giving its own airlines billions of dollars. In the EU, it looks like we will get nothing.”