The United States and the European Union signed a shipping security deal on Thursday to improve co-operation against terrorism, but critics say it creates loopholes and may increase risks to non-US ports.
The deal is meant to ease friction between the world's two largest trading blocs over tough US demands on container inspection after the Sept. 11 attacks by ensuring reciprocity and equal treatment of all European ports.
"This agreement will lead to enhancements in our mutual efforts to prevent terrorists from exploiting the international trading system," Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said.
In a statement from Brussels, European Commissioner for Customs Frits Bolkestein called the deal an "important step forward", based on trans-Atlantic reciprocity.
One aim of the agreement is to expand the US Container Security Initiative screening program to all EU states - including the 10 new members joining next month - from just seven today.
Launched in January 2002, the initiative seeks to identify high-risk containers, screen them before they arrive at US ports, and enhance technology to make containers easier to screen and less vulnerable to tampering.
Officials familiar with the US-EU deal say it is largely procedural, but is important because it opens the door to more substantive security co-operation. Experts will now hammer out a plan of action.
The agreement also paved the way for the EU to drop legal action against member states that broke ranks by signing bilateral Container Security Initiative deals with the United States.