European home affairs and justice ministers gathered for three-day talks in Toledo, Spain on Thursday. The talks focused on enhancing security in European airports.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano joined the ministers to press her European counterparts and air carriers to help bolster security.

Spanish Home Affairs Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba held bilateral talks with Napolitano early on Thursday before the start of the meetings. Napolitano said discussion has been robust on improving aviation security between the European Union and the U.S..

Napolitano also said that improving security was necessary in the fight against Al Qaeda.

[Janet Napolitano, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary]:

"Al Qaeda has used and is using its best minds against the international system, the international aviation system. Now we must do no less.”

The Obama administration is under intense pressure to respond to the failed bombing attempt of Northwest flight 253 as it flew from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day. U.S. intelligence agencies had bits of information about the plot but have admitted that they failed to connect the dots. 

Rubalcaba said the EU was looking into the use of body scanners and would draft a report.

[Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, Home Affairs Minister, Spain]:

"The Commission is working, I repeat, on a report that covers the triple vision that one may have about body scanners. Their efficiency, the effects on health, and the effects it may have on normatives to preserve European citizens' privacy. We should debate this and I hope we can find an agreement for European countries."

Spain, which holds the EU presidency, said it would work towards a common agreement among member states.