TIACA urges more mutual-recognition agreements

“We strongly support efforts to enhance security of the air cargo supply chain without unduly disrupting vital commercial flows,” TIACA Chairman Michael Steen said in a statement. “Mutual recognition of robust security regimes is an important way to further this goal, so we commend the U.S., EU, Swiss and Canadian authorities for their recent announcements in this regard.

“TIACA will continue to support additional efforts to mutually recognize security regimes and to implement global, harmonized standards,” Steen added.

On June 1, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration and the European Commission began mutually recognizing each other’s airfreight security protocols, a directive that also extends to Switzerland. TSA Administrator John Pistole said along with “easing the burden on the industry,” the agreement allows the more than 1 million tonnes of cargo flown between the U.S. and Europe annually to move more freely.

The U.S. inked a similar deal with Canada in late May, an agreement preventing belly-hold cargo screened in either the U.S. or Canada from having to be re-screened once it’s uploaded on a passenger aircraft in the other nation.

In the press release, TIACA lauded these efforts, explaining that mutual recognition of another nation’s cargo screening protocols prevents the duplication of security controls, cuts costs and eliminates time delays; it also ensures that airfreight security requirements are consistently met, TIACA added.