Flood tide of EU air cargo security rules to be imposed in future

AN estimated 700 Third Country Airport (ACC3) operators will need independent security audits with five-year renewals by mid-June and a further 2,700 ACC3 class airports will need them by July 2019 to fly mail or cargo into the European Union.

Audits must be undertaken by an independent validator certified by an EU regulator, reports the UK's Handy Shipping Guide.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said it is working with regulators and will assist air carriers to meet their ACC3 obligations by providing information, pre-assessment tools and technical advice.

The US is also moving against individual operators as evidenced by the sanctions imposed last January 2011 against Activair. In June 2011, the UK government instituted a ban on UPS following security problems in its air cargo screening.

To win ACC3 status, air carriers must deliver a "Declaration of Commitments", which sets out how it has fulfilled security responsibilities to the civil aviation authorities of any EU country to which it flies cargo and mail. The declaration must also cover every non-EU airport from which cargo or mail is flown into the EU.

The exception is when cargo comes directly from a "Green" listed country, set down in the "Green" list, in which case, the carrier may exempt those airports from their Declaration of Commitments.

The Consignment Security Declaration issued by an ACC3 shows that the security chain was unbroken and cargo has only been routed directly from a secure source and until June 30, 2014. These are security standards foreseen by the UN's International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as a minimum.

From the July 1, 2014, the EU regulations state that ACC3s must possess security verifications of their cargo and mail operations at relevant non-EU airports.

If an ACC3 operator wishes to have the security controls applied by a business partner, such as Known Consignors, then regulated agents or ground handlers at non-EU airports must also have their operations undergo an independent audit.