Brussels, 28/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) and the Council of the EU have reached agreement on the regulation governing marketing of substances that could be used make explosives and home-made bombs. The agreement was approved by EP political groups on Wednesday 27 June. Under the draft law, consumers would, as a general rule, have to obtain a licence to buy products such as fertilisers, though exceptions may be possible, the EP says in a press release. This legislation, part of the fight against terrorism, took on new significance and urgency last summer with the attacks in Oslo and Utoya.
Most terrorist attacks in recent years have used explosive devices, many of which were home made from chemicals, such as fertilisers or swimming pool cleaning tablets, that are currently widely available to the general public, the EP says.
Some EU member states already restrict the availability of such chemical precursors. However, due to differing national rules, they may be restricted or controlled in one country, yet freely available in another. The draft EU regulation would ensure that all member states have the same degree of control over access to certain chemicals.
Under the terms of the agreement reached, sales of certain substances would be banned if these chemicals exceed a certain concentration. Chemicals in higher concentrations could be sold only to consumers who can document a legitimate need to use them. These users will be able to obtain a licence.
Consumers would not need a licence to buy certain concentrations of three chemicals commonly used as swimming pool cleaning argents or fertilisers - hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid and nitromethane. Sales registers will have to be kept for these substances, however. EU countries, such as Germany which already register sales but do not require consumers to have a licence to purchase high-risk chemicals, will be able to keep their own systems. Under the deal, the Commission will report in three years' time on whether these rules should be strengthened or further harmonised.
Some products containing chemicals of concern for which concentration thresholds cannot be set, will continue to be sold without any restrictions to consumers, but their sales will be better monitored, as wholesalers and retailers would be obliged to report any “suspicious transactions”. A suspicious transaction would be defined as “any purchase where there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the substance is intended for the production of home-made explosives”, for example, if a customer were to buy a suspiciously large quantity for normal home use. The member states are expected to give their formal approval to the agreement at the start of July and the text will be debated in the EP devil liberties committee in the autumn. (SP/transl.rt)