The Aviation Security (Amendment, Revocation and Consequential Provision) Regulations 2026

Made: 4th March 2026

Laid before Parliament: 9th March 2026

Coming into force: 25th January 2027

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 14(1) and 20(1)(b) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (“the 2023 Act”)[^f00001].

The Secretary of State is a relevant national authority for the purposes of section 14(1) of the 2023 Act[^f00002].

The requirements of paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 5 to the 2023 Act (relating to the appropriate Parliamentary procedure for these Regulations) have been satisfied.

Citation, commencement and extent

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Aviation Security (Amendment, Revocation and Consequential Provision) Regulations 2026.

• (2) These Regulations come into force on 25th January 2027.

• (3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Revocation of certain instruments

2

The instruments listed in the Schedule are revoked.

Amendment of the Aviation Security Act 1982

3

• (1) Part II (protection of aircraft, aerodromes and air navigation installations against acts of violence) of the Aviation Security Act 1982[^f00003] is amended as follows.

• (2) In section 10, for subsection (4), substitute—

(4) In subsection (3) “acts of unlawful interference” has the same meaning as in the 12th edition of Annex 17[^f00004] to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, which was signed at Chicago on 7 December 1944[^f00005]

• (3) In section 24A(1)—

• (a) at the appropriate places, insert—

• “access control” means the application of means by which the entry of unauthorised persons or unauthorised vehicles, or both, may be prevented,

• “security control” means the application of means by which the introduction of weapons, explosives or other dangerous devices, articles or substances which may be used to commit acts of unlawful interference within the meaning of section 10(4) of this Act may be prevented,

• (b) omit the definition of “Framework Regulation”;

• (c) for the definition of “security restricted area”, substitute—

• “security restricted area” means any area of an aerodrome, or of an air navigation installation which does not form part of an aerodrome, in relation to which— a designation has effect under section 11A of this Act, or access control and other security controls are applied.

• (4) Omit section 24A(3).

Amendment of the Aviation Security Regulations 2010

4

• (1) The Aviation Security Regulations 2010[^f00006] are amended as follows.

• (2) For regulation 2 (designation), substitute—

The Secretary of State for Transport is designated as the appropriate authority for aviation security, responsible for— (a) the development, implementation, and maintenance of the national aviation security programme; (b) the development and implementation of a national training policy for all personnel involved with or responsible for the implementation of various aspects of the national aviation security programme; (c) developing, implementing and maintaining a national aviation security quality control programme to regularly determine compliance with and validate the effectiveness of its national aviation security programme.

Amendment of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (Exemption) (Aviation Security) Regulations 2010

5

• (1) The Private Security Industry Act 2001 (Exemption) (Aviation Security) Regulations 2010[^f00007] are amended as follows.

• (2) In regulation 4(2)—

• (a) in the definition of “prohibited articles”, substitute “section 10(4) of the Aviation Security Act 1982” for “section 10(4) of the Aviation Security Act 1982”;

• (b) in the definition of “security restricted area”, substitute “section 24A of the Aviation Security Act 1982” for “section 24A of the Aviation Security Act 1982”.

Amendment of Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011

6

• (1) Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 of 3 November 2011 laying down technical requirements and administrative procedures related to civil aviation aircrew pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council[^f00008] is amended as follows.

• (2) In Appendix 1 to Annex 5 (Appendix 1 to Part-CC), in point 7, omit “, including awareness of the provisions laid down in Regulation (EC) No 300/2008”.

Amendment of the Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018

7

• (1) The Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018[^f00009] are amended as follows.

• (2) In Schedule 2 (essential services and threshold requirements), in paragraph 4 (the air transport subsector), for subparagraph (5)(b), substitute—

• “air carrier” means an air transport undertaking holding a valid operating licence or equivalent.

Schedule — Instruments to be revoked

Signed

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport

Keir Mather — Parliamentary Under Secretary of State — Department for Transport — 4th March 2026

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Explanatory Note

These Regulations revoke six items of secondary assimilated law (as defined in section 21(1) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (c. 28)) which make provision in the field of aviation security and make amendments to other legislation.

Specifically, regulation 2 revokes four items of secondary assimilated law which detail the basic standards on civil aviation security, along with two Council Decisions of the European Union that relate to a Memorandum of Cooperation between the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the EU and no longer have any practical effect in the UK. Regulations 3 to 7 make consequential amendments as a result of revoking Regulation (EC) No 300/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2008 on rules in the field of civil aviation security and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2320/2002. Regulation 4 amends regulation 2 of the Aviation Security Regulations 2010 to more clearly demonstrate the UK’s compliance with international legal obligations.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen. An Explanatory Memorandum has been published alongside these Regulations on www.legislation.gov.uk.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2023 c. 28.

[^f00002]: The term “relevant national authority” is defined in section 21(1) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023.

[^f00003]: 1982 c. 36, amended by S.I. 2010/902.

[^f00004]: Entitled “Safeguarding International Civil Aviation against Acts of Unlawful Interference” and published in July 2022. A copy of this can be accessed and viewed for free online at the International Civil Aviation Organization’s electronic library: https://elibrary.icao.int/home. A hard copy document is available for inspection by appointment only at the offices of the Department for Transport (DfT) - Aviation Security Strategy and Policy Division, Transport Security Directorate, Department for Transport, 4th Floor, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London. SW1P 4DR. Contact the DfT in writing at either this address or email ASPI@dft.gov.uk to make an arrangement to view.

[^f00005]: Treaty Series No. 8 (1953); Cmd. 8742. An electronic copy of this Convention can be found at: https://www2023.icao.int/publications/Documents/7300_cons.pdf. A hard copy is available for inspection by appointment only under Catalogue Reference: HL/PO/JO/10/11/273/631 at the Parliamentary Archives, Houses of Parliament, London SW1A 0PW.

[^f00006]: S.I. 2010/902.

[^f00007]: S.I. 2010/3018, amended by S.I. 2012/1567 and S.I. 2025/664.

[^f00008]: EUR 1178/2011.

[^f00009]: S.I. 2018/506.

[^f00010]: EUR 2008/300, amended by S.I. 2019/547.

[^f00011]: EUDN 2009/97.

[^f00012]: EUR 2009/272, amended by S.I. 2019/547.

[^f00013]: EUR 2009/1254, amended by S.I. 2019/547.

[^f00014]: EUDN 2010/302.

[^f00015]: EUR 2015/1998, amended by S.I. 2019/547, S.I. 2020/798, S.I. 2022/497, S.I. 2022/1313, S.I. 2024/228, S.I. 2024/590, S.I. 2024/1293, S.I. 2025/529 and S.I. 2025/1008.