Security
UK Terrorism Act 2000
Following Sept 11th 2001 this Act was amended to allow "examining officers" (Police, Immigration and Customs officers) extensive powers at ports airports and other such places where one might leave or arrive in the UK. It not only covers people, vehicles and goods travelling abroad, but also people/things arriving or departing for another place within the UK.
UK Customs have told us that the data requirements of the Terrorism Act will possibly be needed for UK-EU traffic as well as third country. This is a direct departure from the principles of the Single Market and if carried through, will place a new requirement on all Single Market traffic. (Currently no data is provided in advance of a shipment to another Member State.) The Home Office, Ports Policing section, has responsibility in this area.
In late April 2003, a Home Office representative stated to SITPRO that written notices to carriers to provide information on exports or imports will only be issued on a 'targeted and intelligence-led basis', so no routine requests should be expected under schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act. As at September 2003 no such written notices have been brought to SITPRO's attention.
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