WRITTEN QUESTION E-2462/99

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: European firearms pass

Within the EU, all persons who go hunting are required to have a firearms pass (in the UK, shotgun certificate and/or firearms licence), a licence to use and carry firearms for hunting purposes, international insurance cover, a visitor's firearms permit to allow them to hunt in the country where they are visiting for that purpose, and a hunter's licence. They must also be fully acquainted with the standards which apply in the country where they are hunting. Over and above these indisputably necessary requirements, they are also required to carry a European firearms pass, issued by the relevant national authorities, which merely repeats the information contained in the national firearms pass.

This European pass causes a substantial amount of extra bureaucracy, while simply duplicating the compulsory national firearms pass to no purpose.

Does the Commission not think that national firearms passes could usefully be harmonised at European level (as has been done with passports). Since such harmonised national passes would be valid at European level, and it would therefore be possible to get rid of the present European firearms pass.

Does the Commission intend to take measures to this effect?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(20 January 2000)

Article 12 of Council Directive 91/477/EEC of 18 June 1999 on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons(1) provides for the use of the European firearms pass for a person in possession of a firearm

during a journey through two or more Member States. The prior authorisation of the Member States concerned must normally be entered on the pass. By way of derogation, hunters with firearms classified in categories C and D according to Annex I to the Directive and marksmen with firearms in categories B, C and D may, without prior authorisation, be in possession of one or more firearms during a journey through two or more Member States with a view to engaging in their activities, provided that they are in possession of a European firearms pass listing such firearm or firearms and provided that they are able to substantiate the reasons for their journey, in particular by producing an invitation.

The Commission is keen to point out that the European firearms pass differs in purpose from documents issued by the national authorities of the Member States with regard to the use of firearms, especially hunting weapons referred to by the honourable Member. In fact, the purpose of the European firearms pass is to facilitate journeys of Community citizens with their weapons between two or more Member States. The national documents that are required by the Member States refer to the possession and especially the use of these weapons in each Member State, inasmuch as the citizens in question are engaged in their activities in the territory of a Member State.

As part of recent consultations by the Commission with the authorities of the Member States as well as with the parties involved, and with a view to the report that the Commission will present to the Council and Parliament in 2000, it seems that the European firearms pass is an essential part of the scheme introduced by Directive 91/477/EEC, which has been welcomed by all the parties involved particularly with regard to facilitating the intra-Community journeys of hunters and marksmen. The report that has been mentioned will devote a part of its findings to the operation of the European firearms pass.

(1) OJ L 256, 13.9.1991.