Debate about the abolition of the 100-milliliter rule

The EU plans to lift the 100-milliliter limit on liquids in hand luggage – but only at airports with certified CT scanners. Up to two liters will be permitted there in the future. The German Airport Association (ADV) welcomes the relaxation but warns of structural flaws in the EU approval process. The introduction of modern security technology is being unnecessarily delayed.

The EU Commission plans to abolish the current 100-milliliter limit for liquids in hand luggage. Passengers will be allowed to carry up to two liters of liquids, aerosols, and gels in the future – but only at airports equipped with certified CT scanners. The new devices analyze luggage in 3D and enable more precise inspection without having to unpack containers.

The first to be introduced are Hi-Scan 6040 CTiX scanners from Smiths Detection, as reported by the portal Reisereporter . The EU issued a corresponding certificate for this model series at the end of July. Around 700 devices are already in use or in preparation in approximately 21 member states, including Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. The new rules will be gradually introduced as additional device configurations receive approval.

The background: In September 2024, the EU had withdrawn all previously existing relaxations of the liquids regulations. According to the industry association BDL, this was due to weaknesses in certain scanner types that could not reliably detect larger liquid containers. German airports also had to revert to the old regulations – even though their devices were not affected by the problems.

ADV welcomes plans and criticizes procedures

The German Airport Association (ADV) supports the planned easing of restrictions. "This is a major step toward greater convenience and faster processes at airports," says Ralph Beisel, the association's managing director. The technology used is safe and functions reliably.

However, the ADV sharply criticizes the EU certification process, arguing that it is too slow, lacks transparency, and hinders the introduction of modern security solutions. Approval of the first device, for example, took over a year. Beisel emphasizes that the EU Commission only acted due to pressure from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and other member states.

"Our airports are ready. They want to implement modern security solutions. But to do so, they need clear and fair rules at the EU level," said Beisel. The ADV is therefore calling for a fundamental reform of the certification process to make approvals faster and more transparent in the future.

High investments and technical hurdles

The transition to new scanners entails considerable costs for airports. According to ADV, the CT scanners are four to six times more expensive than previous models. Furthermore, their installation requires extensive structural modifications to the screening lanes – for example, due to their increased weight and increased heat generation.

Despite these hurdles, several airports in Europe have already invested in the technology. In Germany, the new system is in use at Munich Airport, and in Italy, at airports such as Milan Malpensa, Rome Fiumicino, and Bologna. A pilot project is also underway at Zurich Airport.

There is no uniform timeline for the complete relaxation of the liquid limit. Without faster approval procedures, the new technology will continue to be delayed in many places. Until then, the old and new rules will continue to coexist – depending on which scanners are used locally.

Christian Schmicke