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Air cargo can provide a means of introducing explosive devices into airport security restricted areas and aircraft. Therefore, security controls should be applied so that these consignments do not contain prohibited items that put civil aviation security at risk. In the specific case of air cargo, the high volume of logistics operations carried out, the diversity and casuistry of shipments make 100% inspection at the airport unfeasible through active means, so that to counter threats global security procedures have been developed that represent a more cost-effective and more effective approach based on the RAKC program composed of:

  • Accredited Agents (RAs); and
  • Known consignors (KC);

which together with the carrier (*See Authorised Carriers) comprises the three parts of the security regime in the air logistics chain.
To that end, those entities should put in place security measures in accordance with the rules for the protection of civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference as regards:

  • Appointment of an AVSEC Security Officer;
  • Recruitment and training of personnel with access to air cargo;
  • Physical security measures on the premises; y
  • Specific and differentiated processes for preparation and transport.


The following links allow access to the electronic headquarters that AESA has enabled for the application and administrative procedures related to obtaining and maintaining the certification as Accredited Agent (RA) and Known Consignor (KC):

 

(*)Authorized Carriers (AH):
Pursuant to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1255 of 3 May 2024 and in accordance with the provisions of the aviation safety regulations, from 1 January 2027, all safe cargo transport operations shall be carried out exclusively by Authorised Carriers (AH).

Therefore, any entity interested in continuing with this type of transport must obtain an approval as Authorized Carrier, by AESA, before that date.

In order to be able to carry out an estimate of the volume of entities interested in obtaining this approval, AESA requests the collaboration of companies in the sector by completing the following questionnaire:

The completion of this questionnaire will be considered an indispensable preliminary step in the processing of the approval as Authorized Carrier, once AESA establishes the corresponding procedure.

Accredited Agents currently approved to carry out exclusively the transport of safe air cargo, must obtain the approval of AESA as Authorized Carrier.

We remain at your disposal for any additional queries through the mailbox seguridadcarga.aesa@seguridadaerea.es

 

Security Officers

 

ACC3 programme

In order to be able to transport cargo to the European Union from a third country, the air carrier transporting the cargo must be designated ACC3 (Air freight or mail carrier operating to the Union from a third country airport) at each origin from which cargo is transported to the European Union, in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1998.

This programme lays down an obligation for air carriers to apply security measures to air cargo that reasonably ensure the absence of prohibited items in the cargo they carry to the EU. The designation is made on the basis of an in-situ validation of the security measures applied by the air carrier to cargo. This validation can be performed:

  • In the case of Spain, directly by the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency. This service shall bear the cost of providing the service, on the basis of public prices approved by the State Aviation Safety Agency.
  • By an EU aviation security validator who draws up a report in accordance with the rules. The list of approved validators can be found at the following link. Validators apply their own fares, which must be consulted directly by the airline with the validators concerned. AESA will only accept reports written in Spanish.

The designation shall be granted for a maximum period of five years, and it is necessary to renew it at the end of the period of validity on the basis of an on-site re-verification.
Air carriers carrying cargo from a large number of origins located in third countries to the European Union may benefit from point 6.8.2.2.2 of Regulation (EU) 2015/1998, subject to the authorisation of the State Aviation Safety Agency.
The following e-mail address is available for further information or enquiries regarding the ACC3 programme: acc3.aesa@seguridadaerea.es
For the application of the ACC3 designation, the air carrier must prepare the ACC3 safety program of its Company at the origins they wish to certify, following the format approved by the State Aviation Safety Agency. The format shall be provided directly to applicants by EASA.

Submit documentation
 

Ad-hoc air operations

Ad-hoc air cargo operations outside the ACC3 programme shall only be valid for non-scheduled flights that do not follow a foreseeable pattern, and whose planning time does not allow the ACC3 designation of the origin from which the flight starts. AESA will only process requests for flights whose first point of entry into the European Union is Spain. Applications must be submitted 72 working hours before departure. AESA does not guarantee to comply with applications submitted with a shorter deadline. The submission of the application does not imply automatic authorisation of the conduct of the air operation. In order to transport cargo to the European Union outside the ACC3 programme, AESA must explicitly approve the operation. 

Submit documentation

The ad-hoc freight operations outside the ACC3 program only applies to non- scheduled flights that do not follow a predictable pattern, and whose short-term planning does not allow for an ACC3 designation of the airport of departure of the flight. AESA will only process those applications for flights whose first point of entry into the European Union is Spain. Applications must be submitted 72 working hours in advance to the departure of the flight. AESA does not guarantee the process of those applications submitted in a shorter term. Submitting the application does not mean the automatic approval for conducting the air operation. To transport cargo to the European Union outside the ACC3 program, AESA must approve the operation explicitly.

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