European Union bans airport X-ray machines

European countries have banned X-ray scanners at airport security checkpoints that are similar to the controversial machines that have been used in America by the Transportation Security Administration.

The European Union announced new rules for airport security measures this month, and chief among them was that scanners that use X-ray technology would not be allowed "in order not to risk jeopardising citizens' health and safety."

"Security scanners are not a panacea but they do offer a real possibility to reinforce passenger security," EU Transportation Commissioner Siim Kallas said in a statement.

"Security scanners are a valuable alternative to existing screening methods and are very efficient in detecting both metallic and non-metallic objects," he continued. "It is still for each member state or airport to decide whether or not to deploy security scanners, but these new rules ensure that where this new technology is used it will be covered by EU wide standards on detection capability as well as strict safeguards to protect health and fundamental rights."

In addition to banning X-ray scanners, the new EU rules limit airport security machines to units that do not store captured images. They also require the images to be reviewed in a different room from the individual being scanned, as does TSA, and requires barriers to prevent the passenger from being identified with the image. 

TSA announced last month that 29 airports would get body scanners that use generic images of people to identify potential threats. The agency spent $44.8 million on the equipment.

Kallas said that "experience to date shows that passengers and staff [in Europe] generally see security scanners as a convenient method of screening."

The changes to the EU's policy were first reported by Time magazine.

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