Canadian officials in Brussels to discuss US, UK electronics ban on some flights

Officials from Transport Canada are in Brussels to discuss heightened airline security measures brought in by the United States and United Kingdom.

Washington moved last week to bar passengers arriving from eight countries from bringing electronic devices larger than a mobile phone in their carry on luggage.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau's office released a statement Tuesday confirming Canadian officials are in Brussels "to attend meetings with a core group of allies and experts on the issue of banned electronics in the cabin of aircraft."

"We are carefully assessing information of concern with partners," the statement read.

"Our government remains vigilant in continuously assessing our security measures and will not hesitate to take further action when needed."

• Canada still studying U.S., U.K. bans on in-flight electronics
• U.S., U.K. ban electronics bigger than a phone on some flights 

The initial U.S. ban applies to direct flights arriving in that country from ten airports in Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Britain followed the U.S. announcing similar measures, banning most electronics on flights originating in six countries: Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.

Canada and other countries, however, declined to follow suit.

Canada's Transport Minister Marc Garneau said last week the federal government was evaluating intelligence provided by the U.S. but had made no decision on whether to impose its own ban.

The government says there is still no decision.

The EU is set to discuss the restrictions at a meeting in Brussels Wednesday. Apart from Britain, no EU member state has so far moved to invoke a similar ban.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has cited "evaluated intelligence" for its ban, saying terrorist groups have been aggressively pursuing ways of concealing explosives inside "various consumer items."