WRITTEN QUESTION No. 783/99 by Ursula SCHLEICHER Acquisition and possession of weapons and ammunition by collectors
Date: 1999-04-06
Institutions: European Parliament, SCHLEICHER
Subjects: arms control, fine arts, firearms and munitions, leisure, personal weapon, sport

C 341/144

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.11.1999

another? It is a well-known fact that the Swedes are the biggest net contributors to the EU budget and, naturally
enough, it is therefore even more galling for them to see EU subsidies used to relocate jobs from Sweden.

What action can the Commission take in this particular case? What can it do to prevent similar occurrences in
the future?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(16 April 1999)

The Honourable Member is asked to refer to the joint answer the Commission gave to oral questions
H-0274/99, H-0286/99 and H-0288/99 from Mrs Schφrling, Mr Andersson and Mrs Sandberg-Fries
respectively at question time during the April 1999 (1) Parliamentary session.

(1) Debates of the European Parliament (April 1999).

(1999/C 341/205)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0783/99

by Ursula Schleicher (PPE) to the Commission

(6 April 1999)

Subject: Acquisition and possession of weapons and ammunition by collectors

Directive 91/477/EEC (1) regulated the possession and transport of firearms in the European Union. This
Directive contains provisions on the possession, transport and acquisition of weapons and ammunition by
persons involved in target shooting, hunters and dealers. The Directive does not, however, apply to persons
owning firearms as collectors’ items.

Firearms as collectors’ items are still subject to national legislation, which differs widely in the various Member
States of the European Union.

1.

Does the Commission share this view of the situation?

Does the Commission consider it necessary to alter the existing Directive or to submit a new Directive

2.
specifically for the acquisition and possession of weapons and ammunition by collectors?

3.

If so, when can the submission or amendment of the Directive be expected?

Does the Commission consider that the lack of uniformity in the legislation of Member States of the

4.
European Union causes problems for collectors of weapons and ammunition?

(1) OJ L 256, 13.9.1991, p. 51.

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(27 April 1999)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member’s analysis that firearms as collectors’ items do not fall
within the field of application of Council Directive 91/477/EEC of 18 June 1991 on control of the acquisition
and possession of weapons. As a result, the acquisition and transfer of such weapons are currently governed by
Members States’ legislation, subject to the application of Articles 30 and 36 of the EC Treaty.

The Commission is currently drawing up a questionnaire on the application of Council Directive 91/477/EEC,
which will be sent in due course to the Member States and the various parties concerned. On the basis of the
answers it receives to this questionnaire, the Commission will < by the end of 1999 < draw up a report
addressed to the Parliament and the Council on the situation resulting from the application of this Directive. In
accordance with Article 17 of the Directive, the Commission will examine to what extent it is necessary to
submit proposals for amendments to the existing provisions. This will be the framework for examining the
issue of the acquisition and possession of firearms as collectors’ items.