SINGLE SET OF EU RULES NEEDED TO BOOST NORTH EAST BOTTLE SCANNERS

12.00.00am GMT Wed 3rd Feb 2010

North East MEP Fiona Hall is asking the European Commission to come up with a single set of European rules to deal with security on liquids on planes. She intervened following a visit to learn about leading scanning technology that has been developed in Co. Durham.

Kromek at NetPark in Sedgefield is currently pioneering a revolutionary bottle scan-ner for airports which is able to identify liquids from the "signature" of a multi-spectrum x-ray scan. When a bottle is scanned the pattern can be automatically checked against a database of common liquids. The technology could be of immediate help for passengers in transit, who at the moment are faced with confiscation of duty free liquids when they pass through a European airport.

Speaking after her visit to Kromek, Fiona said:

"The European Commission is due to come forward with a proposal on how to move forward from the current ban on liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGs), which lapses in April.

"No one piece of technology can deliver a complete security solution but new ad-vances are being made that will help keep terrorist threats at bay without inconven-iencing innocent air passengers.

"For Kromek to get this innovative bottle scanner fully on the market there needs to be one clear set of EU rules and not 27 different member state regulations. I will push the European Commission to come forward with proposals to provide a clear framework as a matter of urgency.

"This is a case of needing "more Europe" - a single European market for scanning technology - in order to get more jobs into the North East."