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Don’t Take Our Gadgets: Europe Pushes Back on Expanded US Laptop Ban

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European officials are pushing back on a proposed ban on laptop and tablets being carried into the cabins on flights traveling from the EU to the United States.

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Officials from France, Britain, Germany, Spain and Italy held an emergency teleconference with the Department of Homeland Security on Friday over the proposal.

A ban on tablets and laptops being carried on flights from 10 cities, mostly in the Middle East, has been in place since March. The ban affects roughly 50 flights per day.

The proposed expansion to include the EU would affect far more, as 65 million people make the transatlantic trips per year. European officials are arguing that such a ban would create chaos in the busy travel hubs.

The Department of Homeland Security has not announced whether or not they will go through with the proposed restrictions.

"The US and the EU are on the same side when it comes to fighting terrorism and protecting our security," Dimitris Avramopoulos, EU commissioner for migration, home affairs and citizenship, said in a statement.

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"Our phone call today proved once again the strong cooperation we have on these matters. I look forward to welcoming Mr Kelly and his experts in Brussels next week to continue our positive talks."

European Commission transport spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen told Business Insider that she is seeking to find out if there was a specific new threat that the US learned of that has prompted the changes, as they have not identified one.

After the previous round of bans, the US asserted that there was no specific new threat, and that it was just a precaution, given that extremists have long targeted airplanes.

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