Press Release: Financing of aviation and maritime security measures: the Commission takes stock

The European Commission has adopted a report on the financing of security measures in the aviation and maritime sectors. According to this report, security costs in transport can be significant and are currently largely borne by users. The report gives some insight into the different financing mechanisms which exist in the Member States and warns that the heterogeneity of approach may distort competition. It concludes that more transparency of security taxes and charges would benefit the users of transport services and that, in general, public funding of anti-terrorist measures in transport does not constitute state aid.