Travellers from Dutch airports will not be able to carry liquids in bottles and tubes which contain more than 100 millilitres in their hand baggage from September because of revised EU guidelines.

People using Schiphol, Rotterdam en Eindhoven airport have been allowed to carry bigger containers of liquids in their hand baggage since the introduction of new CT scanners.

But the Dutch airports are now switching back to the international standard of 100 millilitres, not because of a change in the terrorism threat level, but because of  Brussels’ rules.

The regulation is being introduced across the EU as a temporary measure, while the new scanners are further tested to make sure they are safe, according to commission documents. The measure is a “precautionary” one to “preserve the security of air travel”, the document states.

The Airports Council International, however, says the return to stricter limits on liquids eliminates the main benefits of using the new scanners which are up to eight times more expensive than the traditional x-ray machines.

The airports say they are taking various measures to alert travellers to the changes, and will set up collection points ahead of security where they can empty water bottles.

Other rules introduced alongside the new scanners, such as leaving laptops and phones in hand baggage, remain unchanged.

The 100-millimetre limit was introduced in 2006 as a temporary measure after a plot to blow up an airliner using liquid explosives was foiled.