Protecting public spaces: performance requirements for metal detection equipment

New performance requirements will encourage the procurement of high-quality metal-detection equipment outside aviation, establishing a benchmark for a high level of protection from security threats in public spaces. The Commission’s Recommendation on these requirements was adopted on 10 May 2023.

Metal detection equipment are used in many public spaces, including – but not limited to – law enforcement, border security, customs, post services, transport, government buildings, and large sports and entertainment events.

Until recently, there were no harmonised European performance requirements for detection equipment outside aviation security. In June last year, the Commission adopted the first ever harmonised requirements for threat detection for public spaces, which concerned X-ray equipment.

This second recommendation published today, concerns metal detection equipment, and is addressed to Member States, who should use the metal detection performance requirements as technical specifications in future national procurement procedures.

These Recommendations aim to create a strong incentive for manufacturers of security equipment equipment to comply with these requirements in future production, thereby enhancing the European security market.

The mandate for this Commission Recommendation stems from the EU Counter-Terrorism Agenda (COM(2020)795) which sets out the objective to reinforce early detection capacities in public spaces. Based on this mandate, a Technical Working Group on detection performance requirements was established in December 2020. The Technical Working Group is composed of Member State experts, manufacturers of detection equipment, and Commission services, with the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs and the JRC playing a leading role.

Related content

Commission Recommendation on voluntary performance requirements for metal detection equipment used in public spaces

EU Counter-Terrorism Agenda