Regulation (EC) No 300/2008
as it stood on 2026-02-23, permalink: /eu-eurlex/32008r0300/2026-02-23
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Outline, 24 provisions
Article 1 Article 2 Article 3 Article 4 Article 5 Article 6 Article 7 Article 8 Article 9 Article 10 Article 11 Article 12 Article 13 Article 14 Article 15 Article 16 Article 17 Article 18 Article 19 Article 20 Article 21 Article 22 Article 23 Article 24
1. This Regulation establishes common rules to protect civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference that jeopardise the security of civil aviation.It also provides the basis for a common interpretation of Annex 17 to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.
2. The means of achieving the objectives set out in paragraph 1 shall be:(a) the setting of common rules and common basic standards on aviation security;(b) mechanisms for monitoring compliance.
1. This Regulation shall apply to the following:(a) all airports or parts of airports located in the territory of a Member State that are not exclusively used for military purposes;(b) all operators, including air carriers, providing services at airports referred to in point (a);(c) all entities applying aviation security standards that operate from premises located inside or outside airport premises and provide goods and/or services to or through airports referred to in point (a).
2. The application of this Regulation to the airport of Gibraltar is understood to be without prejudice to the respective legal positions of the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom with regard to the dispute over sovereignty over the territory in which the airport is situated.
For the purposes of this Regulation:
‘civil aviation’ means any air operation carried out by civil aircraft, excluding operations carried out by State aircraft referred to in Article 3 of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation;
‘aviation security’ means the combination of measures and human and material resources intended to safeguard civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference that jeopardise the security of civil aviation;
‘operator’ means a person, organisation or enterprise engaged, or offering to engage, in an air transport operation;
‘air carrier’ means an air transport undertaking holding a valid operating licence or equivalent;
‘Community air carrier’ means an air carrier holding a valid operating licence granted by a Member State in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 2407/92 of 23 July 1992 on licensing of air carriers (1);
‘entity’ means a person, organisation or enterprise, other than an operator;
‘prohibited articles’ means weapons, explosives or other dangerous devices, articles or substances that may be used to commit an act of unlawful interference that jeopardises the security of civil aviation;
‘screening’ means the application of technical or other means which are intended to identify and/or detect prohibited articles;
‘security control’ means the application of means by which the introduction of prohibited articles may be prevented;
‘access control’ means the application of means by which the entry of unauthorised persons or unauthorised vehicles, or both, may be prevented;
‘airside’ means the movement area of an airport, adjacent terrain and buildings or portions thereof, access to which is restricted;
‘landside’ means those parts of an airport, adjacent terrain and buildings or portions thereof that are not airside;
‘security restricted area’ means that area of airside where, in addition to access being restricted, other aviation security standards are applied;
‘demarcated area’ means an area that is separated by means of access control either from security restricted areas, or, if the demarcated area itself is a security restricted area, from other security restricted areas of an airport;
‘background check’ means a recorded check of a person’s identity, including any criminal history, as part of the assessment of an individual’s suitability for unescorted access to security restricted areas;
‘transfer passengers, baggage, cargo or mail’ means passengers, baggage, cargo or mail departing on an aircraft other than that on which they arrived;
‘transit passengers, baggage, cargo or mail’ means passengers, baggage, cargo or mail departing on the same aircraft as that on which they arrived;
‘potentially disruptive passenger’ means a passenger who is either a deportee, a person deemed to be inadmissible for immigration reasons or a person in lawful custody;
‘cabin baggage’ means baggage intended for carriage in the cabin of an aircraft;
‘hold baggage’ means baggage intended for carriage in the hold of an aircraft;
‘accompanied hold baggage’ means baggage, carried in the hold of an aircraft, which has been checked in for a flight by a passenger travelling on that same flight;
‘air carrier mail’ means mail whose origin and destination are both an air carrier;
‘air carrier materials’ means materials either whose origin and destination are both an air carrier or that are used by an air carrier;
‘mail’ means dispatches of correspondence and other items, other than air carrier mail, tendered by and intended for delivery to postal services in accordance with the rules of the Universal Postal Union;
‘cargo’ means any property intended for carriage on an aircraft, other than baggage, mail, air carrier mail, air carrier materials and in-flight supplies;
‘regulated agent’ means an air carrier, agent, freight forwarder or any other entity who ensures security controls in respect of cargo or mail;
‘known consignor’ means a consignor who originates cargo or mail for its own account and whose procedures meet common security rules and standards sufficient to allow carriage of cargo or mail on any aircraft;
‘account consignor’ means a consignor who originates cargo or mail for its own account and whose procedures meet common security rules and standards sufficient to allow carriage of that cargo on all-cargo aircraft or mail on all-mail aircraft;
‘aircraft security check’ means an inspection of those parts of the interior of the aircraft to which passengers may have had access, together with an inspection of the hold of the aircraft in order to detect prohibited articles and unlawful interferences with the aircraft;
‘aircraft security search’ means an inspection of the interior and accessible exterior of the aircraft in order to detect prohibited articles and unlawful interferences that jeopardise the security of the aircraft;
‘in-flight security officer’ means a person who is employed by a state to travel on an aircraft of an air carrier licensed by it with the purpose of protecting that aircraft and its occupants against acts of unlawful interference that jeopardise the security of the flight.
1. The common basic standards for safeguarding civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference that jeopardise the security of civil aviation shall be as laid down in the Annex.Additional common basic standards not foreseen at the entry into force of this Regulation should be added to the Annex in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 251 of the Treaty.
2. General measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of the common basic standards referred to in paragraph 1 by supplementing them, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 19(3).These general measures shall concern:(a) methods of screening allowed;(b) categories of articles that may be prohibited;(c) as regards access control, grounds for granting access to airside and security restricted areas;(d) methods allowed for the examination of vehicles, aircraft security checks and aircraft security searches;(e) criteria for recognising the equivalence of security standards of third countries;(f) conditions under which cargo and mail shall be screened or subjected to other security controls, as well as the process for the approval or designation of regulated agents, known consignors and account consignors;(g) conditions under which air carrier mail and air carrier materials shall be screened or subjected to other security controls;(h) conditions under which in-flight supplies and airport supplies shall be screened or subjected to other security controls, as well as the process for the approval or designation of regulated suppliers and known suppliers;(i) criteria for defining critical parts of security restricted areas;(j) criteria for staff recruitment and methods of training;(k) conditions under which special security procedures or exemptions from security controls may be applied; and(l) any general measures designed to amend non-essential elements of the common basic standards referred to in paragraph 1 by supplementing them not foreseen at the date of entry into force of this Regulation.On imperative grounds of urgency, the Commission may use the urgency procedure referred to in Article 19(4).
3. Detailed measures for the implementation of the common basic standards referred to in paragraph 1 and the general measures referred to in paragraph 2 shall be laid down in accordance with the regulatory procedure referred to in Article 19(2).These shall include:(a) requirements and procedures for screening;(b) a list of prohibited articles;(c) requirements and procedures for access control;(d) requirements and procedures for the examination of vehicles, aircraft security checks and aircraft security searches;(e) decisions to recognise the equivalence of security standards applied in a third country;(f) as regards cargo and mail, procedures for the approval or designation of, and the obligations to be fulfilled by, regulated agents, known consignors and account consignors;(g) requirements and procedures for security controls of air carrier mail and air carrier materials;(h) as regards in-flight supplies and airport supplies, procedures for the approval or designation of, and the obligations to be fulfilled by, regulated suppliers and known suppliers;(i) definition of critical parts of security restricted areas;(j) staff recruitment and training requirements;(k) special security procedures or exemptions from security controls;(l) technical specifications and procedures for approval and use of security equipment; and(m) requirements and procedures concerning potentially disruptive passengers.
4. The Commission shall, by amending this Regulation through a decision in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 19(3), set criteria to allow Member States to derogate from the common basic standards referred to in paragraph 1 and to adopt alternative security measures that provide an adequate level of protection on the basis of a local risk assessment. Such alternative measures shall be justified by reasons relating to the size of the aircraft, or by reasons relating to the nature, scale or frequency of operations or of other relevant activities.On imperative grounds of urgency, the Commission may use the urgency procedure referred to in Article 19(4).The Member States shall inform the Commission of such measures.
5. Member States shall ensure the application in their territory of the common basic standards referred to in paragraph 1. Where a Member State has reason to believe that the level of aviation security has been compromised through a security breach, it shall ensure that appropriate and prompt action is taken to rectify that breach and ensure the continuing security of civil aviation.
Subject to the relevant rules of Community law, each Member State may determine in which circumstances, and the extent to which, the costs of security measures taken under this Regulation to protect civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference should be borne by the State, the airport entities, air carriers, other responsible agencies, or users. If appropriate, and in conformity with Community law, Member States may contribute with users to the costs of more stringent security measures taken under this Regulation. As far as may be practicable, any charges or transfers of security costs shall be directly related to the costs of providing the security services concerned and shall be designed to recover no more than the relevant costs involved.
1. Member States may apply more stringent measures than the common basic standards referred to in Article 4. In doing so, they shall act on the basis of a risk assessment and in compliance with Community law. Τhose measures shall be relevant, objective, non-discriminatory and proportional to the risk that is being addressed.
2. Member States shall inform the Commission of such measures as soon as possible after their application. Upon reception of such information, the Commission shall transmit this information to the other Member States.
3. Member States are not required to inform the Commission where the measures concerned are limited to a given flight on a specific date.
1. Without prejudice to any bilateral agreements to which the Community is a party, a Member State shall notify the Commission of measures required by a third country if they differ from the common basic standards referred to in Article 4 in respect of flights from an airport in a Member State to, or over, that third country.
2. At the request of the Member State concerned or on its own initiative, the Commission shall examine the application of any measures notified under paragraph 1 and may, in accordance with the regulatory procedure referred to in Article 19(2), draw up an appropriate response to the third country concerned.
3. Paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if:(a) the Member State concerned applies the measures concerned in accordance with Article 6; or(b) the requirement of the third country is limited to a given flight on a specific date.
Without prejudice to Article 300 of the Treaty, the Commission may conclude a Memorandum of Understanding concerning audits with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in order to avoid duplicate monitoring of Member States’ compliance with Annex 17 to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.
Where, within a single Member State, two or more bodies are involved in civil aviation security, that Member State shall designate a single authority (hereinafter referred to as the appropriate authority) to be responsible for the coordination and monitoring of the implementation of the common basic standards referred to in Article 4.
1. Every Member State shall draw up, apply and maintain a national civil aviation security programme.That programme shall define responsibilities for the implementation of the common basic standards referred to in Article 4 and shall describe the measures required by operators and entities for this purpose.
2. The appropriate authority shall make available in writing on a ‘need to know’ basis the appropriate parts of its national civil aviation security programme to operators and entities which it deems to have a legitimate interest.
1. Every Member State shall draw up, apply and maintain a national quality control programme.That programme shall enable the Member State to check the quality of civil aviation security in order to monitor compliance both with this Regulation and with its national civil aviation security programme.
2. The specifications for the national quality control programme shall be adopted by amending this Regulation through the addition of an annex in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 19(3).On imperative grounds of urgency, the Commission may use the urgency procedure referred to in Article 19(4).The programme shall allow for the swift detection and correction of deficiencies. It shall also provide that all airports, operators and entities responsible for the implementation of aviation security standards that are located in the territory of the Member State concerned shall be regularly monitored directly by, or under the supervision of, the appropriate authority.
1. Every airport operator shall draw up, apply and maintain an airport security programme.That programme shall describe the methods and procedures which are to be followed by the airport operator in order to comply both with this Regulation and with the national civil aviation security programme of the Member State in which the airport is located.The programme shall include internal quality control provisions describing how compliance with these methods and procedures is to be monitored by the airport operator.
2. The airport security programme shall be submitted to the appropriate authority, which may take further action if appropriate.
1. Every air carrier shall draw up, apply and maintain an air carrier security programme.That programme shall describe the methods and procedures which are to be followed by the air carrier in order to comply both with this Regulation and with the national civil aviation security programme of the Member State from which it provides services.The programme shall include internal quality control provisions describing how compliance with these methods and procedures is to be monitored by the air carrier.
2. Upon request, the air carrier security programme shall be submitted to the appropriate authority, which may take further action if appropriate.
3. Where a Community air carrier security programme has been validated by the appropriate authority of the Member State granting the operating licence, the air carrier shall be recognised by all other Member States as having fulfilled the requirements of paragraph 1. This is without prejudice to a Member State’s right to request from any air carrier details of its implementation of:(a) the security measures applied by that Member State under Article 6; and/or(b) local procedures that are applicable at the airports served.
1. Every entity required under the national civil aviation security programme referred to in Article 10 to apply aviation security standards shall draw up, apply and maintain a security programme.That programme shall describe the methods and procedures which are to be followed by the entity in order to comply with the national civil aviation security programme of the Member State in respect of its operations in that Member State.The programme shall include internal quality control provisions describing how compliance with these methods and procedures is to be monitored by the entity itself.
2. Upon request, the security programme of the entity applying aviation security standards shall be submitted to the appropriate authority, which may take further action if appropriate.
1. The Commission, acting in cooperation with the appropriate authority of the Member State concerned, shall conduct inspections, including inspections of airports, operators and entities applying aviation security standards, in order to monitor the application by Member States of this Regulation and, as appropriate, to make recommendations to improve aviation security. For this purpose, the appropriate authority shall inform the Commission in writing of all airports in its territory serving civil aviation other than those covered by Article 4(4).The procedures for conducting Commission inspections shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure referred to in Article 19(2).
2. Commission inspections of airports, operators and entities applying aviation security standards shall be unannounced. The Commission shall in good time before an inspection inform the Member State concerned thereof.
3. Each Commission inspection report shall be communicated to the appropriate authority of the Member State concerned, which shall, in its answer, set out the measures taken to remedy any identified deficiencies.The report, together with the answer of the appropriate authority, shall subsequently be communicated to the appropriate authority of the other Member States.
Every year the Commission shall present a report to the European Parliament, the Council and the Member States informing them of the application of this Regulation and of its impact on improving aviation security.
Without prejudice to the role of the Committee referred to in Article 19, the Commission shall establish a Stakeholders’ Advisory Group on Aviation Security, composed of European representative organisations engaged in, or directly affected by, aviation security. The role of this group shall be solely to advise the Commission. The Committee referred to in Article 19 shall keep the Stakeholders’ Advisory Group informed during the entire regulatory process.
As a general rule, the Commission shall publish measures that have a direct impact on passengers. However, the following documents shall be regarded as EU classified information within the meaning of Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom:
(a) measures and procedures as referred to in Articles 4(3), 4(4), 6(1) and 7(1), if containing sensitive security information;
(b) the Commission inspection reports and the answers of the appropriate authorities referred to in Article 15(3).
1. The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee.
2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.The period laid down in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at one month.
3. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5a(1) to (4) and Article 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.
4. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5a(1), (2), (4), and (6) and Article 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.
When appropriate, and in conformity with Community law, agreements recognising that the security standards applied in a third country are equivalent to Community standards could be envisaged in aviation agreements between the Community and a third country in accordance with Article 300 of the Treaty, in order to advance the goal of ‘one-stop security’ for all flights between the European Union and third countries.
Member States shall lay down the rules on penalties applicable to infringements of the provisions of this Regulation and shall take all measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. The penalties provided for must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive.
The Commission will report, no later than 31 December 2008, on the principles of the financing of the costs of civil aviation security measures. That report will consider what steps need to be taken in order to ensure that security charges are used exclusively to meet security costs, and to improve the transparency of such charges. The report will also address the principles necessary to safeguard undistorted competition between airports and between air carriers, and the different methods to ensure consumer protection as regards the distribution of the costs of security measures between taxpayers and users. The Commission report will be accompanied, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal.
Regulation (EC) No 2320/2002 is hereby repealed.
1. This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
2. It shall apply as from the date specified in the implementing rules adopted in accordance with the procedures referred to in Article 4(2) and (3), but not later than 24 months after the entry into force of this Regulation.
3. By way of exception to paragraph 2, Articles 4(2), 4(3), 4(4), 8, 11(2), 15(1) second subparagraph, 17, 19 and 22 shall apply from the date of entry into force of this Regulation.
Provenance and validity dates, identifier, hash
| as of | 2026-02-23 → this version applied |
| valid | 2026-02-23 → 2026-08-01 publisher-asserted |
| type | REG Regulation (EC) No 300/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2008 on common rules in the field of civil aviation security and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2320/2002 (Text with EEA relevance) |
| language | en |
| published | 2026-02-23 |
| lex_id | eu-eurlex:32008r0300:2026-02-23 |
| record sha256 | 94b3df49b134be15cd4922b69fd4bbb8e990217b3ee89754bdbddc676d5d6e4e |
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