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EUROPEAN CURRENT SURVEY 16[2006/2007]4 ULR 175

costs in the start-up period of project implementation in combined transport. The scheme
will be accessible to all EU transport undertakings operating in the Slovak Republic. The
aid has a total budget of €525,000.

Air transport

European Commission revises block The European Commission has adopted a Block Exemption Regulation revising the
exemption for IATA passenger tariff exemption from Article 81 EC that has been enjoyed by IATA passenger tariff conferences.
conferences For routes within the EU, tariff conferences exemption ceased as of 1 January 2007. The
(IP/06/1294) 2 October 2006 Regulation exempts tariff conferences on routes between the EU and the United States or
Australia until 30 June 2007, and routes between the EU and other non-EU countries until
31 October 2007. However, airlines benefiting from the block exemption on routes between
EU and non-EU countries must provide the Commission with data on interlining to allow
the Commission to consider whether the exemption for those routes should be extended
beyond those dates. The new Regulation will also end the block exemption for IATA slots
and scheduling conferences.

European Commission acts against The European Commission adopted a Regulation restricting the liquids that passengers
threats from liquid explosives can carry past screening points and onto aircraft. It applies to all flights departing from
(IP/06/1313) 5 October 2006 airports in the EU, regardless of their destination and the nationality of the carrier. The
Regulation affects cabin baggage only, as hold baggage is inaccessible once checked in, and
applies to all liquids (current screening equipment cannot distinguish one type from another).
However, passengers are permitted to take liquid in containers not exceeding 100 millilitres
in capacity; in order to minimise delays, they must be packed in plastic bags and presented
at screening points. Passengers can also continue to take liquids, such as drinks and perfumes,
obtained beyond the points where boarding passes are controlled, onboard aircraft.
Furthermore, the new rules require passengers to remove coats and jackets at security
checkpoints and to remove laptops and large electrical items from their bags. Finally, the
Regulation will in six months limit the size of cabin baggage allowed to a maximum of 56
cm x 45 cm x 25 cm, with possibilities for some exemptions (for example, musical
instruments).

European Commission sends The European Commission has sent a reasoned opinion to Luxembourg for its failure to
reasoned opinion to Luxembourg for respect EU rules on aviation security. The aim of this legislation is to ensure common basic
its failure to respect rules on air standards on aviation security measures at Community airports in order to prevent acts
transport security of unlawful interference against civil aviation. EU Member States were required to implement
(IP/06/1382) 12 October 2006 the legislation from 19 January 2003. However, Commission inspections at Luxembourg
airport have established that some security measures have not been fully implemented in
compliance with Community standards, and some of the identified deficiencies have not as
yet been rectified. The implementation of common basic standards and related security
measures therefore remain a major concern at Luxembourg airport.

European Commission adopts new The European Commission has adopted the required quarterly update of the Community
measures concerning the airlines list of airlines banned in the EU. The changes made to the previous Community list adopted
banned in the EU on 20 June 2006 were the following: (1) Kenya’s DAS Air Cargo, Uganda’s Dairo Air Services
(IP/06/1384) 12 October 2006 and Afghanistan’s Ariana Afghan Airlineswere were added to the ‘black list’; (2) all of the 27
companies certified in the Kyrgyz Republic have been banned; (3) lists of companies already
banned previously have been updated on the basis of the latest information; and (4) Air
Services Comores has been made subject to operational restrictions. Besides the immediate
changes to the list, the Commission and the Member States’ aviation safety experts examined
six other individual cases. They looked at the safety situation as regards Pulkovo Aviation
certified in Russia, Pakistan International Airways, Ghana’s Johnsons Air, and Ajet (the former
Helios Airways) certified in Cyprus. The Commission did not consider that an immediate
banning measure was called for in any of these cases on the basis of the air safety criteria.

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