Firearms Directive, the European Commission targets hunters and sports shooters

Brussels is currently examining the possibility to amend the regulations on rifles purchase and legal possession. Civil rifle users protest: “Better to fight illegal possession”

The target is undoubtedly correct: “Protecting citizens and disrupting illegal trafficking” of firearms. This is the title of a Communication form the Commission to the Council and to the European Parliament, which has been forwarded on October 2013, attempting to reduce the number of crimes in Europe. However, the content of that “compendium” of suggestions has stirred up a hornets’ nest. The first to protest were – obviously – those practicing a sport or eking up their living with legal sporting rifles, such as hunters, sports shooters, and civil-use firearms traders: they have tried to stand up against some of the proposals during a panel discussion organized by the European Parliament earlier this month.

There is already a EU Firearms Directive, first adopted in 1991 and deeply amended and modified in 2008. Quite a ‘recent’ tool, which has not been implemented by all Member States into their national legislations yet. And this is the first thing leaving pundits quite puzzled. “The Directive is a sign of a large political support,” said Yves Gollety, President of the European Association of the Civil Commerce of Weapons (AECAC), “and it also is the most rigorous and effective system in the world. It would be better to allow Member States to adapt to this new Directive, instead of amending it again,” he added, reminding that in France the Directive was implemented in July 2013. Even the contents of the EU Communication raise some concerns: the European Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation (FACE) is particularly puzzled by one of the reasons brought by the EU Commission in explaining it decision to amend the directive. “Legally owned weapons in the EU continue to feed the illegal market” – unacceptable theory according to FACE.

Yet, “Acquiring and owning firearms is already strictly regulated at EU level,” said FACE Secretary General Filippo Segato underlying the flaws of the Commission’s plans, “Legal firearms owners such as hunters undergo a number of tight controls and do not feed the illegal market in firearms. If Commissioner Malmström wants to tackle illicit trafficking and improve our security,” he added, “she should focus on fighting criminal organisations instead of diverting public resources to make life harder for legal owners, who are not the problem.”

Furthermore, according to the EU communication, deactivated firearms (that is, firearms deactivated to be collected) risk to be reactivated. In this case, said FACE, rather than overhauling the Firearms Directive, the European Commission should fulfil its obligations and ensure that Member States comply with the legally binding existing provisions.

The Communication of the Commission lists a series of suggestions to address the challenges ahead: a common approach on how to mark firearms, common minimum rules on criminal sanctions for traffickers, and a regulation for reducing access to particularly dangerous weapon models for civilian use. These suggestions are in any case to be discussed with the European Parliament, with Member States and concerned stakeholders, before deciding what to do, even with a new legislation. For sure, there will not be any amendment to the Directive in the near future.

“We want to broaden the discussion, we do not want to anticipate any conclusion,” said Fabio MARINI, Head of Task Force firearms: “We have launched two studies and it will take a long time for the process to be finalized. We have not adopted any amendment in technical terms.” The officer said, “We want to know which the best practices in Europe are in order to realise a deep analysis on how to proceed.”

 Letizia Pascale