Spain calls for common EU stance on airport body scanners

[FarCenter]

The thorny topic of airport security has divided EU nations. Spain, which has taken over the EU presidency, has called for a common policy over using body scanners that takes concerns about privacy into account.

The Spanish EU presidency has called for a common European position on airport body scanners after member states clashed over the introduction of new security technology.

Spanish Transport Minister Jose Blanco Lopez made his appeal after EU experts met on Thursday to discuss the proposed measure. A number of EU countries, including Spain, are unhappy about possible privacy issues relating to the scanners, which can "see through" clothing to create three-dimensional images of passengers.

Lopez said that a common approach to security would be more sensible than member states taking unilateral measures, after Britain, the Netherlands and Italy decided to install the cameras.

"It's better for Europe to have a common position because it makes no sense for European passengers to travel from London to Madrid and back and have different controls", said Lopez.

"A common position would be better for all of us, even if it wasn't binding," he said.

<SNIP>http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5098288,00.html

[backscatter712]

1. Britain's has legal issues with these scanners.

Turns out that putting a child through one is illegal, because it creates an image that can be construed to be child pornography...