The European Union (EU) has criticized the new law requiring all US-bound containers to be scanned at their port of departure.
“Experts on both sides pf the Atlantic have already considered this measure to be of no real benefit when it comes to improving security,” said EU Customs and Taxation Commissioner László Kovács.
Kovács added that the law “would disrupt trade and cost legitimate EU and US businesses a lot of time and money.”
Known as the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act, the bill proposing sweeping changes to security regulations was signed into law by President Bush early this month.
Its provisions have been criticized from within and outside the shipping industry as threatening the flow of commerce.
The most controversial aspect of the bill is a mandated 100% scanning, for nuclear devices, of all maritime cargo containers bound for the United States.
The bill does allow the time-table to introduce the scanners by 2012 to be extended, but only for technological reason.
Kovács regretted that the US had not waited for the results of a pilot project the EU and US customs are about to launch at the British port of Southampton before pressing ahead.
“Instead of 100% scanning, I advocate applying risk analysis for the selection of containers to be checked prior to leaving the EU for the US,” said Kovács.Opponents of the bill include the US Customs and Border Protection and the US Chamber of Commerce, as well as carriers and coalitions of shippers.
US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said last month that having to physically examine every piece of cargo “would bring commerce to a screeching halt.”
He said that 100% screening, such as obtaining advance information on shipments, was preferable to 100% scanning.The Global Shippers' Forum said that the new law would result in "enormous costs to users, suppliers and ultimately consumers..."
John Lu, chairman of the Asian Shippers' Council, added that "being the main exporter to the US, Asia will be the hardest hit. The enforcement of this ruling will slow down cargo and cause a gridlock at ports."
Janet F Kavinoky, director of transportation infrastructure for the US Chamber of Commerce, called the 100% scanning mandate an “unacceptable policy.”
“We just won't carry American imports,” said Christopher L Koch, president of the World Shipping Council (WSC).
“Experts on both sides pf the Atlantic have already considered this measure to be of no real benefit when it comes to improving security,” said EU Customs and Taxation Commissioner László Kovács.
Kovács added that the law “would disrupt trade and cost legitimate EU and US businesses a lot of time and money.”
Known as the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act, the bill proposing sweeping changes to security regulations was signed into law by President Bush early this month.
Its provisions have been criticized from within and outside the shipping industry as threatening the flow of commerce.
The most controversial aspect of the bill is a mandated 100% scanning, for nuclear devices, of all maritime cargo containers bound for the United States.
The bill does allow the time-table to introduce the scanners by 2012 to be extended, but only for technological reason.
Kovács regretted that the US had not waited for the results of a pilot project the EU and US customs are about to launch at the British port of Southampton before pressing ahead.
“Instead of 100% scanning, I advocate applying risk analysis for the selection of containers to be checked prior to leaving the EU for the US,” said Kovács.Opponents of the bill include the US Customs and Border Protection and the US Chamber of Commerce, as well as carriers and coalitions of shippers.
US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said last month that having to physically examine every piece of cargo “would bring commerce to a screeching halt.”
He said that 100% screening, such as obtaining advance information on shipments, was preferable to 100% scanning.The Global Shippers' Forum said that the new law would result in "enormous costs to users, suppliers and ultimately consumers..."
John Lu, chairman of the Asian Shippers' Council, added that "being the main exporter to the US, Asia will be the hardest hit. The enforcement of this ruling will slow down cargo and cause a gridlock at ports."
Janet F Kavinoky, director of transportation infrastructure for the US Chamber of Commerce, called the 100% scanning mandate an “unacceptable policy.”
“We just won't carry American imports,” said Christopher L Koch, president of the World Shipping Council (WSC).