ACC3 Validation and Aviation Web Based Training

New implemented air cargo screening regulations will affect almost all air carriers that are transporting air cargo or mail into or through the European Union (EU). A failure to be compliant with the new regulations by July 1st of 2014 will result that carriers will be prohibited to transport air cargo into or through the EU. In order to prevent that it is mandatory that a carrier´s security programme, its onsite operations and the associated secure supply chain undergoes an independent validation and an EU state approval prior to the deadline.

Air transportation rules and regulations are constantly evolving and all participating parties, such as airlines for example, have no choice but to follow these new regulations in order to stay compliant. One of the most important new regulations that have been implemented lately is the Air Cargo and Mail Carrier Operating from a Third Country Airport regulation, commonly known as ACC3, which is being mandated by the EU. These new regulations, in part effective starting February 1st of 2012, but also with potentially serious implications for nearly all air cargo and mail movements into or through the EU countries starting July 1st of 2014, have been created as a direct consequence on the two failed air cargo attacks of October of 2010 to which Al-Qaeda located in the Arabic Peninsula claimed responsibility. That incident made very clear that terrorists also seek the global air cargo supply chain as a target area. As a direct consequence to these planned attacks many states and regulatory bodies quickly conducted a review of existing air cargo and mail security regulations and processes with the ultimate goal to increase the overall security level in this area.

The EU was one of such regulatory bodies and after a consultation period also including other affected parties such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) new air cargo regulations have been adopted. The EU required that by February 1st of 2012 virtually all air cargo and mail carriers operating into the EU from third country airports must submit a Declaration of Commitments (DoC) to the appropriate authority in the EU State they were allocated to. This declaration enabled the air cargo or mail carrier to attain their initial ACC3 status and committed the carrier to meet the additional deadline of July 1st of 2014 with the additional requirements entailed therein. In effect the carriers acknowledged that by July of 2014 they would obtain an Independent EU Aviation Security Validation of their security programme and their last point of departure onsite activities in order to maintain their existing ACC3 designation. This new independent validation requirement, which will require reissuance every five years, is now critical if air carriers are to continue flying air cargo or mail into the EU from the majority of countries around the globe, with effect from July 1st of 2014. According to the European Commission´s own evaluations, this new regulation will potentially affect thousands of carrier stations – as virtually each and every carrier will have to ensure their last point of departure operations prior to arrival at an EU airport are subject to an onsite independent validation and that the resulting report is deemed acceptable by the appropriate authority of the EU State each carrier is allocated to before their ACC3 status is renewed.

The new regulations will impact virtually all air carriers operating into the EU – including EU carriers – depending upon their last point of departure. In that sense the regulations are graduated, in that they look to apply different levels of air cargo and mail security based upon the results of the EU risk assessments. While the requirements apply directly to carriers, and as such are not deemed extraterritorial by EU authorities, the overall risk assessment was adjudged at a state level. Thus all carriers operating from one state may not be required to apply the new measures, whereas all carriers operating from another state may have to fully comply. Furthermore, additional enhanced security measures will need to be applied to all cargo identified, through this EU risk assessment, as high risk cargo and mail, over and above the baseline ACC3 requirements.

Again failing to ensure that the independent validation takes place will result in the loss of the carrier´s existing ACC3 designation. Consequently the carrier will be prohibited from transporting air cargo or mail into or though the EU.

Additionally trusted direct shippers, freight forwarders, ground handlers, regulated agents, known consignors etc. will, if they wish to continue applying upstream security measures, on behalf of carriers also need to be independently validated – either directly as part of the carriers independent validation programme or in their own right. Starting July of 2014 the air carrier will only be allowed to accept air cargo or mail shipments from entities that have been subject to EU accredited independent validation, or the carrier themselves will have to ensure and account for the security of the cargo they wish to fly into the EU at the last point of departure. This will also include transit and transfer cargo at the last point of departure as well. Even then the carrier will still need to be independently validated in order to retain or gain their ACC3 status. As of right now the IATA Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV), the currently only accredited training provider has successfully trained about 75 validators that are available to carriers. These validators are listed in following EU portal: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/ksda/openAccess.htm?locale=en.

Presently STI Security Training International features three EU Aviation Security Validators along with a competent team of several highly skilled and experienced Consultants. STI can assist its customers in meeting ACC3/RA3/KC3 obligations by offering either EU aviation security validations for the different stations around the world or:

  • Security awareness courses for general staff
  • Security Training for security supervisors
  • X-ray equipment and image interpretation training for screening staff
  • Consulting and support services to develop and implement supply chain security requirements

For further information please get in contact with our ACC3 team via mail acc3@sti-training.com or refer to our homepage under http://www.sti-training.com/view/en/consulting/acc3.

Contact

STI Security Training International GmbH
Steinmuehlenweg 5
65439 Floersheim
Germany
  • 0049 6145 59991-23