Negotiators from the EU Council and the European Parliament reached agreement on Monday 4 February on new rules for the sale and registration of chemicals that can be used to manufacture explosives.
Parliament had validated the mandate in early July (see EUROPE 12174) and the Council in December (see EUROPE 12159). These new rules on explosive precursors have been informally agreed with Council negotiators and will have to be formally endorsed by the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties and EU ministers.
Parliament and Council negotiators agreed to add new chemicals to the list of banned substances. This includes sulphuric acid, which is used to produce TATP, the explosive used in the 2015 attacks in Paris, the Brussels attacks in 2016 and the Manchester attack in 2017.
The conditions for licensing the general public for the purchase and use of explosive precursors have also been tightened, ending the current registration systems, which allow restricted substances to be purchased upon presentation of an identity card. It will be necessary to examine the person's legal liabilities.
Online sales markets are also covered by the rules for selling and reporting suspicious transactions. However, the restrictions would not apply to professionals who must use these chemicals in their trade or profession.
The rules will apply 18 months after their publication in the Official Journal. The current authorisation licenses will remain valid for 12 months. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)