MEPs question liquids allowance

Emily Pacey

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Current rules damage the duty-free industry and compromise civil liberties, MEPs tell transport commissioner Jacques Barrot

A group of MEPs has demanded that air passenger liquids allowance rules are re-examined in the light of damage to the duty-free industry and infringements of passengers’ civil liberties.

At a debate that took place in the European Parliament on February 12, Dutch MEP Thijs Berman and Spanish MEP Ignasi Guardans Cambo from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) challenged EU transport commissioner Jacques Barrot to defend the regulations limiting air passengers to carrying 1 litre of liquids in 100ml bottles.

ALDE addressed the Commission about the lack of consultation before the measures came into force on November 6 across Europe. “We want some explanations on the continued necessity of the severe restrictions on liquids and medicines,” ALDE said in a statement. An ALDE spokesperson told RavenFox.com: “Some MEPs are questioning whether the measures are still necessary and whether the threat level is still the same as it was in November. There is concern from the civil liberties and duty-free lobby that the measures are over the top.”

According to Brussels news website EUObserver.com, Cambo told Barrot at the debate: “You have created a totally arbitrary system verging on the absurd. Citizens don't have any way of defending themselves against the absolute power of a private individual in uniform who says he or she can't do this. [Passengers] just have to shut up or cancel their flight.” Berman asked, “What happened to my almost new shaving gel that got confiscated at Brussels airport today?”

Barrot is reported to have admitted that “the arrangements are not satisfactory at the moment...I was not happy to have to introduce these measures". He added that he hoped research into new technology would eventually lead to a “suspension” of current measures. Barrot is pressing for the measures to be adopted by third countries to aid mutual recognition of security rules, arguing that this would itself lead to a reduction in the number of products being confiscated at airports worldwide.

Cambo told RavenFox.com that there had been no resolution of the issue at the debate, but that he expected a resolution to be tabled in March. "I am sure that there will be consensus on this issue. Even Barrot was forced to accept that the situation is absurd and is causing a great deal of harm to duty-free retailers and individuals who purchase duty-free in the shops and transit in Europe. I am certain that this is going to be dealt with."

He added: "I am also convinced that the resolution will confront and solve coherence on the implementation of these regulations. The inconsistency in the way the new rules are applied is ridiculous."