an hour agoEU to tighten weapons trade rules
Periskopi(4 years ago)
(4 years ago)The European Commission called on Thursday for a change in rules for import, export and transit of firearms for civilian use, so as to combat trafficking and keep the best traces of the number of such weapons in the bloc. Some 35 million illegal firearms are in the hands of [...]
The European Commission called on Thursday for a change in rules for import, export and transit of firearms for civilian use, so as to combat trafficking and keep the best traces of the number of such weapons in the bloc.
Some 35 million illegal firearms are in the hands of civilians in the EU, according to the Commission's estimates, amounting to 56 per cent of the estimated total firearms. About 630 thousand of these firearms are listed as stolen or missing in the Schengen Information System, writes Euronews, broadcast Klankosova.tv.
The trafficking of firearms fuels organised crime within the EU and fuels political instability in the EU's neighbourhood. With the development of the rapid delivery of new parcels and technologies, the trafficking of firearms is taking new forms to escape controls,” said European Commission deputy chairman Margaritis Schinas.
The “Reform that we are proposing will close the gaps in existing rules which are often overlooked, leading to smuggling firearms and diverting them to the EU,” he added.
Under the new regulations, producers, businessmen and users will no longer have to pay a fee to obtain an import or export authorization for firearms for civilian use, their essential components, ammunition and alarming weapons and signals.
A new EU electronic licensing system for fire arms producers and businessmen to apply for import and export authorisation will already be created to replace largely paper-based systems of 27 EU nations each.
Import and export procedures for hunters, sports players and exhibitors will already be simplified, the Commission said.
Another proposal is that strict controls of refusal to provide import and export authorizations are carried out with information shared with other member states to prevent individuals from proving their destiny in another country.
“Criminals are constantly changing the way they smuggle deadly weapons into the European Union. We have to stay one step forward. EU internal security to reduce illegal use and trafficking of firearms must be built on good law enforcement co-operation, good intelligence and transparent procedures”, said Commissioner for Internal Affairs Ylva Johansson.
“This proposal does so,” she added, urging MPs and EU member states to quickly adopt new regulations.
