Commission restrictions on liquids carried in cabin baggage at airports

Question for written answer E-001961/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Marcin Sypniewski (ESN)

Passengers in the Member States are still being forced to comply with stringent restrictions on liquids carried in cabin baggage at airports.

An estimated 350 new CT X-ray scanners have already been acquired in 13 Member States. These allow for the scanning of larger quantities of liquids and the scanning of laptops without having to remove them from suitcases. As a result, some airports, such as those in Amsterdam and Rome, have relaxed their limits on the amount of liquids carried.

In late July 2024, however, the Commission temporarily upheld the 100 ml limit on liquids carried, citing the fact that traditional scanners cannot detect liquid explosives as the sole reason. The decision went into effect on 1 September 2024, but no estimated date for the lifting of the restriction was given.

In this connection, I would like to ask the following questions:

• 1.Are the restrictions imposed solely due to the limitations of the old equipment previously used at airports, or is the new equipment also, in the Commission's opinion, incapable of scanning larger quantities of liquids?
• 2.In addition to equipment problems, are there other restrictions resulting from existing rules?
• 3.When does the Commission plan to lift the recently upheld limit?

Submitted: 4.10.2024