On Thursday, the European Union reached a provisional agreement on new rules aimed at increasing transparency in legitimate firearms trade to combat illegal trafficking and prevent criminals from accessing weapons.
The new rules, agreed upon by lawmakers and the Belgian EU presidency, will replace the current patchwork of national regulations that have made it difficult to trade firearms and determine ownership.
When the European Commission initially proposed the new rules in October 2022, it cited data showing that there were approximately 35 million illicit firearms in the EU, accounting for 56% of all firearms, with 630,000 firearms reported as stolen or lost.
The main objective of the new EU regulation is to enhance traceability of firearms within the bloc.
Under the new rules, the EU will implement an electronic system to replace the predominantly paper-based national licensing systems for manufacturers and dealers.
Individuals in the EU who use firearms for hunting, exhibitions, sports, or historical re-enactments will not require import or export authorization if they possess a European Firearms Pass.
Importation of semi-finished firearms and components will be restricted to licensed dealers and brokers only.
All imported firearms and essential components will be required to have markings to prevent the availability of unmarked homemade “ghost guns.”
It is important to note that the new rules, which still need formal approval from EU governments and the European Parliament, do not pertain to the export of firearms for military purposes to Ukraine.
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
