EU Members Divided Over Airport Body Scanners
Source: BBC News, 7 January 2010
In the wake of the attempted bombing of a U.S.-bound flight on Christmas Day 2009, European Union countries found themselves divided over the introduction of full-body airport scanners. The incident, in which a passenger tried to detonate explosives hidden on his body, exposed gaps in conventional metal detector security and prompted urgent discussion of advanced imaging technologies.
EU aviation security experts met in Brussels to explore a coordinated approach. While Britain, Italy, and the Netherlands moved quickly to adopt scanners at major airports, other countries such as Belgium, Spain, Germany, and France urged caution. Concerns ranged from the effectiveness of the technology to privacy rights and potential health impacts.
Privacy advocates and civil rights groups had previously warned that detailed body imaging could infringe on fundamental freedoms unless strict safeguards were implemented. In response, airports like Schiphol in Amsterdam adopted software that produces stylised body outlines rather than detailed images, balancing security needs with passenger privacy.
EU regulators emphasised that any policy on scanners would need to address data protection, health implications, and fundamental rights, and that a unified European approach would be preferable to a patchwork of national rules. Proponents argued that scanners could detect explosives that traditional screening might miss, while critics questioned whether they offered a meaningful increase in safety compared with intelligence and counter-terrorism measures.
The debate highlighted a recurring challenge for EU security policy: how to strengthen airport safety without compromising the rights and well-being of travellers.
Read the original BBC article here