European Union transport ministers agreed Thursday to boost security measures in planes and at airports, including allowing the use of armed "air marshalls" on aircraft.

After a short debate in Luxembourg, Finnish Transport Minister Susanna Huovinen, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, said the bloc's 25 members had reached "political accord" on increasing air security.

Following the September 11, 2001 suicide hijackings, EU members adopted common rules on checks of passengers, ground personnel, baggage and freight, as well as on access to sensitive zones at airports.

But the European Commission, the EU's executive body, felt that shortfalls still existed, particularly concerning passenger safety during flights.

The new measures would not impose the presence of security officers on aircraft but would allow each country to decide whether to use them on carriers. Some member states already use such staff.

These officers could be armed in line with national legislation.

Generally, the measures are aimed at obliging the 25 countries to take steps to prevent "non-authorised" individuals from entering a cockpit during flight and at ensuring "appropriate security measures" to deal with in-air incidents.

As well as boosting security in the air, the measures would also impose tougher security standards on freight or catering companies working at airports.