Russia mulls new air cargo security rules

Russian news agency reports suggest that Moscow is considering new air cargo security legislation aimed at European Union member states.
ITAR TASS quoted a document posted on Russia’s Air Transport Agency website as saying: “We plan to develop and adopt a regulatory legal act similar to EU Regulations 185/2010 regarding cargo and postal delivery from the EU member-states to Russia.
“To resolve this problem, we plan to propose to the EU to conclude an agreement on recognizing adequate air security measures applied in Russia and the EU states.”
On July 1 this year, the EU’s ACC3 regulations – covering air cargo or mail carriers operating from a third country airport –  came into force.
Russia was left off the so-called ACC3 ‘green list’ of third-party countries whose existing air cargo security regimes were considered to already meet the required standard.
Carriers from those countries did not need to go through a validation process by EU-certificated inspectors.
That omission offended Moscow, which is now raising the prospect of tit for tat regulation, seen by some as a negotiating tactic to put Russia on the ACC3 green list.
The political situation between Russia and the west has worsened since the downing of the Malaysian passenger jet MH17 over insurgent-held eastern Ukraine, with the loss of 283 lives in mid-July.
Doug Brittin, secretary general of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) said of the proposed new rules by Russia: “This action brings to the fore some of the inherent challenges of implementing unilateral security regimens. TIACA believes that it is important to develop standards on a global, rather than regional or unilateral basis.
“It is critical to find ways forward that enhance security but which do not disrupt vital commercial air cargo flows. We also fully support recognizing the audit methods of other countries’ civil aviation authorities, similar to the mutual recognition between the EU, Switzerland, the US, and Canada as a logical means to accomplish global security effectively and efficiently, and encourage the proposed talks.”
Don Armour of the UK-based Freight Transport Association said: “I think this move is all part of the ramping up of tension between the Russian Federation and the EU over the eastern Ukraine situation.”
He added: “Equally interesting is the announcement this week of the import ban on EU foodstuffs for one year which will affect many road freight carriers in central Europe and Scandinavia.”