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AECAC discusses political priorities at EU level

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On November 30th, 2022 various member associations of the European Firearms Trade (AECAC) gathered for our end-of-year talks. The focus was on the political challenges of the upcoming year. The EU firearms regulation and the approaching ban on lead ammunition.

The virtual meeting was moderated by AECAC Secretary General Michael Blendinger. He summarized the annual activities of the AECAC and emphasized the currently difficult economic times. But not all associations signaled a reluctance to buy. France is very satisfied with the current year, but also complains about the lack of availability of the goods.

Yves Golléty, acting president of the AECAC, thanked his Secretary General for the good and successful work of the association. Many important new contacts were made in Brussels and the cooperation between the other international associations is also working well.

As a further positive signal, the AECAC was able to welcome a new association, the Danish Arms Trade Association. Board member Palle Skov Hansen introduced his association. It is important to speak with one voice in Brussels and to represent the interests of all member states.

Peter Brass, representative of the German Gunsmith and Gun Trade Association supported this but emphasized that there are still European arms trade associations that have not yet joined the AECAC. It is important to motivate them through convincing work to participate in the work of the association at European level. Because most laws are made in Brussels and even if the implementation of the member states differ everyone is always affected. The political expert and political advisor to the VDB, Peter Husen, spoke about current European issues, mainly the coming lead ban and the Firearms Regulation The revision of the firearms directive itself should probably only be tackled from 2025.

Several successful meetings have taken place in Brussels with Members of the European Parliament and representatives of other European Associations. The AECAC will meet again to exchange views on the upcoming reform of the Firearms Regulation. 

The AECAC will continue to represent the interests of its members at EU level in 2023.

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Press release of the EU Commission on the EU Firearms Regulation 258/2012

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Firearms: Updated regulations to increase security and facilitate legal trade

Brussels, October 27th, 2022: Today, the Commission is proposing to update EU rules on the import, export and transit of firearms for civilian use. As many as 35 million illicit firearms are estimated to be in the hands of civilians in the EU, and around 630,000 firearms are listed as stolen or lost in the Schengen Information System. The updated rules will facilitate the legal trade of firearms for civilian use and reduce the administrative burden of firearms manufacturers, dealers and users. The revised rules will enhance security and address firearms trafficking, and will enable coordinated controls and risk assessments to improve the traceability of firearms.

Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said: “Firearms trafficking feeds organised crime within the EU and breeds political instability in the EU’s neighbourhood. With the development of fast parcel delivery and of new technologies, trafficking of firearms is taking new forms to escape controls. As legislators, we need to catch up. The reform we are proposing will close down the loopholes in the existing rules which are often circumvented, leading to firearms being smuggled and diverted into the EU.”

Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, said: “Criminals are constantly changing how they smuggle deadly weapons into the European Union. We need to stay one step ahead. EU internal security to reduce the illegal use and trafficking of firearms must be built on good law enforcement cooperation, good intelligence, and transparent procedures. This proposal does that. Today’s proposal also simplifies rules for legitimate firearms owners and businesses.” 

The updated rules will include:

  • Clear and common procedures for the import, export and transit of firearms for civilian use, their essential components, ammunitions and alarm and signal weapons. For example, the current proposal will exempt firearms manufacturers, dealers, and users from a fee to obtain an import or export authorisation.
  • Simplified import and export procedures for hunters, sport shooters and exhibitors: notably no prior import or export authorisation for hunters with a European Firearms Pass will be required. 
  • A new EU electronic licensing system for firearms manufacturers and dealers to apply for import and export authorisation, replacing the diverse, mostly paper-based national systems. This new paperless system will save applicants time and simplify the process. The system will also be connected to the EU Single Window Environment for Customs.
  • Strict technical standards for alarm and signal weapons, which are devices manufactured to only be able to fire blank, tear gas or irritant ammunition. This will help avoid them being converted into lethal firearms. Any such weapons not complying with these standards would need to be imported as firearms. The Commission will also establish a list of non-convertible alarm and signal weapons, meaning devices which are not capable of being converted to expel a shot, bullet or projectile.
  • Stricter rules on semi-finished firearms components. They will be imported only by licensed dealers and brokers, reducing the threat of home-made firearms without marking or registration (“ghost guns”).
  • An end-user certificate for the more dangerous firearms. This document will certify that the buyer is the final recipient of the goods and does not plan on transferring them to someone else. This will reduce the risk of diversion of firearms from the legal to the black market during or after export.    
  • Strict checks on refusals to grant import or export authorisations. National authorities will have to check whether someone applying for an authorisation has already been refused one in another Member State. When an individual will be refused an import or export authorisation, the information will be shared with other Member States. This will prevent individuals from ‘shopping’ in another EU Member State to obtain such authorisation.

Next steps

It is now for the European Parliament and the Council to examine the proposal. Once adopted, the rules will be directly applicable across the EU.

 Background

The illicit flows of firearms, essential components and ammunitions facilitate serious and organised crime, including terrorism. They enable violence and support criminal businesses. Illicit firearms also affect other areas of organised crime, such as trafficking in drugs and human beings.

Today’s proposal was announced in 2020 and concerns firearms for civilian use only. The Russian military aggression in Ukraine increases the potential of proliferation of firearms. In the medium-term, these new rules will help reducing the risk of circumvention of embargos in the case of exports of firearms for civilian use and increasing the controls of the import of this kind of firearms from non-EU countries. 

As part of the Security Union Strategy, the Commission adopted the EU Strategy to tackle organised crime and the 2020-2025 Action plan on firearms trafficking. Today’s proposal aims to ensure consistency between the Firearms Directive and the EU Regulation on import and export of civilian firearms. Both texts should regulate the same types of firearms, essential components, and ammunition. The current Regulation mainly regulates the export of firearms for civilian use.

 

For more information

Press release of the EU Commission on the EU Firearms Regulation 258/2012 Read More »

AECAC is preparing for the upcoming discussion about EU Firearms law

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On Monday 13th of June 2022, an event organized by the Europeans Hunter Association (FACE) and the European Manufacturers Association (ESFAM) took place in the European Parliament on the upcoming policy challenges in the field of firearms legislation. In addition to numerous members of the parliament from various parties, Peter Brass (Representative of Interest for the German Gunsmith and Gun Trade Association VDB) represented AECAC on behalf of Secretary General Michael Blendinger. It was a high-ranking exchange and good talks with politicians, representatives of FACE and ESFAM.

In addition to the planned ban on lead ammunition, the decisionmakers in Brussels will also deal with the revision of the EU firearms law in the coming month.
In fall 2022, a proposal for a new EU Firearms Regulation is to be presented by the EU Commission. The Commission is expressly open to tackle the Firearm Directive as well.
“It is all the more important to seek contact with the political institutions at an early stage so that we can address our own concerns to the right actors at a later point in time”, said Peter Brass.

AECAC and VDB have been holding talks in Brussels since last autumn and will expend them in the upcoming legislative process in order to represent the interests of our members.

ESFAM Generalsekretär Olivier van Herstraeten
FACE President Torbjörn Larsson
MEP Marlene Mortler (EPP)

HERE you can find the press release from FACE

Representative of Interest Peter Brass with MEP Marlene Mortler (EVP),
FACE President Torbjörn Larsson and ESFAM General Secretary Olivier van Herstraeten (Photos: Alexander Louvet)

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Interview with Michael Blendinger

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In spring 2020 the AECAC members elected Michael Blendinger as new general secretary.

Mr. Blendinger is vice-president of the German member association VDB and entrepreneur in Nurnberg. We have spoken with him about the future challenges and his ideas how to steer the AECAC through the coming times.

Michael Blendinger
  • Q: Mr. Blendinger, the Covid-19 crisis is far from over and it appears that the EU institutions are still struggling to find the right way through the crisis. Is this even the time for EU directives and regulations dealing with rather technical issues which affect your members primarily?
  • A: I agree that the headlines are mainly dealing with the big issues now – EU budget, recovery measures, relations with China etc. But, of course, the everyday work of the EU institutions will continue in this fall. And this will strongly affect our members.
  • Q: Can you give examples on what issues the civil commerce of weapons companies need to be aware of?
  • A: Right now, we are at the final stage of a process which will likely restrict the use of lead ammunition in wetlands in the EU. We expect a decision in early fall 2020 and we fear that it will trigger similar discussions for a restriction in all other terrains as well.
  • Q: The EU firearms directive from 2015 has led to intense political discussions at EU level and during the implementation period in the member states. Your home country Germany has just at the end of 2019 finalized the domestic law-making process. Do you expect any new initiatives from the EU-Commission?
  • A: We have not been too happy with many aspects of the directive and its implementation in Germany. We expect to face problems in the workflow with the authorities and are concerned by probable economic loss when the new provisions are fully implemented. However, the directive clearly states that the EU Commission must publish a report on how the directive has been implemented in the coming months and can even propose new legislative measures. So we definitely have to closely watch what will happen in Brussels in the coming months. This applies for the 2020-2025 EU action plan on firearms trafficking, too.
  • Q: Important times ahead for you and the AECAC. One final question – how will you keep an eye on political issues and how will you position the AECAC goals politically?
  • A: As you know I have my own company, AimZone in Nurnberg, and I am involved as vice-president of the German association VDB in national discussions as well. But it is my clear intention to further ensure that the voice of the AECAC is heard in Brussels. Most of the relevant political proposals come from the EU. This is a fact.

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