If you’re catching a flight out of Malta International Airport over the next two months, don’t be surprised if airport security decide to test that bottle of water you forgot in your hand luggage.

MIA has been selected to take part in a pilot project on the screening of liquids, aerosols and gels by the European Commission, with Amsterdam Schipol, Dublin, Alicante and Budapest international airports also taking part in the study.

The project seeks to assess the viability of screening liquids and aerosols currently prohibited from being carried past security checkpoints and will run intermittently throughout May and June.

But if you think the pilot study means you can now saunter past airport security with liquids in tow, think again.

Security staff will still be entitled to confiscate liquids in containers with a capacity larger than 100ml. “Passengers who may, in special circumstances, be carrying LAGs of more than 100ml will be subjected to further screening,” an MIA spokesperson said. “They are still expected to follow standard security procedures at all times.”

Current EU security screening regulations require passengers to store any non-medical or non-special dietary liquids, aerosols or gels in containers of 100ml or less. Containers must then be carried in a one litre transparent re-sealable bag.

The EU-wide security measure was introduced 10 years ago, after UK authorities foiled a plot to use liquid explosives to blow up seven planes at Heathrow airport. Its usefulness has come under increased scrutiny in recent years, prompting the EU to relax reassess the measure.