Brussels, 21/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - Only weapons that have been irreversibly deactivated should be considered to be inoperable, said MEP Vicky Ford (ECR, UK), European Parliament rapporteur on the draft regulation on the circulation of firearms in the EU during an exchange of views among MEPs on the internal market and consumer (IMCO) committee on Wednesday 20 April.
Ford, who chairs the IMCO committee, was critical of the “significant problems” caused by implementing regulation 2015/2403 which establishes common guidelines on deactivation standards and techniques for ensuring that deactivated firearms are rendered irreversibly inoperable and which came into force on 8 April. This regulation has “implications for public security and is also causing great confusion for many law abiding citizens who want to comply with the law but find it impossible to do so”, she said. In previous debates, some MEPs were of the view that the proposal, in its current form, would make the situation of many hitherto legal weapons owners illegal (see EUROPE 11451).
More generally, Ford says, the European Commission's proposal, announced in the immediate aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks (see EUROPE 11433), contains many loopholes and approximations that will require much amendment. She has, therefore, submitted no fewer than 86 amendments, structured around eight issues: - maintaining the category covering firearms converted to blank-firing weapons; - clarifying the definition of deactivated firearm; - rewording the Commission proposal on the ban on semi-automatic weapons which resembled automatic firearms; - defining authorisations for firearms used for historical purposes more strictly - a measure criticised by museums (see EUROPE 11513); - introducing secure storage requirements; - establishing an effective monitoring system for the acquisition and possession of firearms, including regular medical checks; - improving information sharing among EU member states, including when an authorisation has been refused; - ensuring that online sales of firearms, parts and ammunition is only permitted provided that the actual handover takes place face-to-face.
Other MEPs have until 28 April to table their own amendments to the legislative proposal. A committee vote on the report will take place at the meeting on 27 June. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)