Adoption of provisional agreement on updated EU firearms directive

The European Parliament's internal market committee adopted on 25 January 2017 the provisional agreement with the Council of the European Union regarding the updated EU firearms directive. The plenary session confirmed the endorsement on 14 March.

The revised law tightens the controls on blank firing and inadequately deactivated weapons. It also requires member states to have a monitoring system in place for the issuance or renewal of licences and to exchange information with one another.

The EU firearms directive, in place since 1991 and amended in 2008, sets out the conditions under which private persons may lawfully acquire and possess guns or transfer them to another EU country. Its revision was launched in November 2015 by the European Commission and a compromise text was agreed by the Council of the European Union and the Parliament in December 2016. The deal was simultaneously endorsed by the Council's Coreper.

EurActiv, 02.03.17: Czech minister wants to guarantee the right to keep and bear arms http://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/czech-minister-wants-to-guarantee-the-right-to-keep-and-bear-arms/

European Parliament: Press Release, 26.01.17: EU gun law updated to close security loopholes while protecting legitimate users http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20170126IPR59901/

EurActiv, 15.03.17: MEPs finalise watered-down update of EU gun law https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/meps-finalise-watered-down-update-of-eu-gun-law/

EUObserver, 15.03.17: EU lawmakers tighten firearm rules https://euobserver.com/justice/137242

ESO: Background information: Revision of the Firearms Directive http://www.europeansources.info/record/revision-of-the-firearms-directive/

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