On Wednesday morning 7 December, the Committee of Permanent Representatives to the EU (COREPER II) was unable to reach a decision following the most recent inter-institutional meeting on the “firearms” directive held on Monday earlier this week. This was for two reasons: no consolidated text had been sent upstream of the meeting and the European Commission’s position had still not been disclosed.
An agreement “of principle” was reached between the Council and the Parliament on the main stumbling blocks (neutralisation, medical checks and a ban on certain firearms) at the end of the lengthy and complicated meeting on Monday (see EUROPE 11683). Only the Commission, which sent its Commissioner for the Security Union, Sir Julian King along to the meeting, was able to express its misgivings, which were published the following day by its spokesperson, Margaritis Schinas. At the press conference, the latter exclaimed, “The single market has not been devised for the free flow of Kalashnikovs”.
Several sources informed us that the challenge is a significant one, given that a rejection of the agreement by the College of Commissioners, would provoke a need for unanimity at the Council of the EU, which would essentially be much more difficult to achieve than a qualified majority. Nonetheless, the Commission, which attended the COREPER meeting, expressed optimism and is also expected to submit a proposal very soon. According to one source, another trilogue meeting may subsequently take place but other sources ruled out this possibility.
Contents of agreement on ban on certain firearms. The European Parliament and Council essentially agreed to ban certain semiautomatic firearms when they are less than 60 cm long or contain a 20 bullet magazine for handguns or a 10 bullet magazine for longer weapons. The latter point is extremely subtle: the co-legislators agree on banning the simultaneous ownership of weapons that can accommodate a magazine for more than 20 bullets, as well as a magazine containing more than 20 rounds of ammunition.
Parliament argues that the normal timetable appears to be holding for the time being. A presentation of a text is expected to be submitted, all going well, by the end of January. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)