Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The European Commission in Brussels has proposed updating EU rules on the import, export and transit of firearms for civilian use. According to a European statement in Brussels, it is estimated that up to 35 million illegal firearms are in the hands of civilians in the European Union, and about 630,000 firearms are registered as stolen or lost in the Schengen Information System. The updated rules will facilitate the legal trade in firearms for civilian use and reduce the administrative burden on firearms manufacturers, dealers and users. The revised rules will enhance security and address firearms trafficking, and will enable the coordination of controls and risk assessments to improve firearm traceability.

In the statement issued Thursday, Commission Vice-President for the Promotion of European Life, Margaritis Schinas, said: "The firearms trade fuels organized crime within the European Union and leads to political instability in the neighborhood of the European Union. With the development of rapid delivery of packages and new technologies, the trade in firearms takes New forms of evasion of controls. As lawmakers, we need to catch up. The reform we are proposing will close loopholes in existing rules that are often circumvented, leading to firearms smuggling and diversion into the EU."
Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, said: “Criminals are constantly changing how lethal weapons are smuggled into the EU. We need to stay one step ahead. EU internal security to curb the illicit use and trafficking of firearms must be built on good law enforcement cooperation, Good intelligence, and transparent procedures. This proposal does just that. Today's proposal also simplifies the rules for firearm owners and legitimate businesses."

The updated rules will include:

Clear and common procedures for the import, export and transit of firearms for civilian use, their essential components and ammunition, and warning and signal weapons. For example, the current proposal would exempt manufacturers, dealers, and users of firearms from import or export authorization fees.
Simplified import and export procedures for hunters, sport shooters and runners: No prior import or export permission will be required for hunters with a European Firearms Pass.
A new electronic licensing system in the European Union for manufacturers and dealers of firearms to apply for import and export authorization, to replace the various national systems, most of which are paper-based. This new paperless system will save time for applicants and simplify the process. The system will also be linked to the EU customs single window environment.
Strict technical standards for warning and signal weapons, devices manufactured to be capable only of firing blanks, tear gas or irritating ammunition. This will help avoid turning them into deadly firearms. Any weapons that do not comply with these standards must be imported as firearms. The commission will also draw up a list of non-transferable warning and signal weapons, that is, devices that cannot be converted to expel a bullet, bullet or projectile.
Stricter rules on components for semi-manufactured firearms. They will only be imported by licensed dealers and brokers, reducing the threat of homemade firearms without marking or registration ("ghost weapons").
End user certification for the most dangerous firearms. This document will certify that the buyer is the final recipient of the goods and does not plan to transfer them to another person. This will reduce the risk of diverting firearms from the legal to the black market during or after export.
Strict controls on cases of refusal to grant import or export permits. National authorities will have to check whether the person applying for permission has already been refused in another Member State. When an individual import or export license is denied, the information will be shared with other member states. This would prevent individuals from "shopping" in another EU member state for such an authorization.

Now it is up to the European Parliament and the Council to study the proposal. Once the rules are adopted, they will be directly applicable throughout the European Union.

The illicit flows of firearms, essential components and ammunition facilitate serious and organized crime, including terrorism. It enables violence and supports criminal acts. Illicit firearms also affect other areas of organized crime, such as drug and human trafficking.

The Commission's proposal was announced in 2020 and relates to firearms for civilian use only. Russian military aggression in Ukraine increases the potential for firearms proliferation. In the medium term, these new rules will help reduce the risk of embargo circumvention in the case of the export of firearms for civilian use and increase controls on the import of this type of firearm from countries outside the European Union.

As part of the Union Security Strategy, the Commission has adopted the European Union's Strategy for Addressing Organized Crime and the 2020-2025 Action Plan on Trafficking in Firearms.