WRITTEN QUESTION E-2462/99 by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission. European firearms pass.
Date: 1999-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: citizens' Europe, directive (EU), free movement of persons, hunting regulations, personal weapon

1.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 219 E/169

Has the Commission promised any financial or material support to vzw Museum van Europa for
3.
accommodating a museum on Parliament(cid:146)s premises? If so, what specific commitments have been made
(subsidies, premises etc.) and what are the Commission(cid:146)s reasons for granting this support? If not, why is
the Commission not providing such support to vzw Museum van Europa?

Does the Commission support the decision to take Charlemagne as the historical starting point of the
4.
permanent exhibition in the museum? If so, does this not detract from the major contributions that the
Greco-Roman civilisations and Byzantium have made to European ideas? If not, what does the Com-
mission feel is the appropriate way of realising the European museum concept in full?

5. Will the Commission request vzw Museum van Europa to apply in the museum correctly and in its
entirety the language legislation of the Belgian Federation, since such legislation can be regarded as a form
of mutual respect for languages and cultures? If not, why not, given that failure to apply such legislation
would detract from mutual respect for languages and cultures in the Belgian Federation?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(20 January 2000)

The Commission has also been informed of the plans for a (cid:145)Museum for Europe(cid:146) project in Brussels.

It is important to point out that this project is a private initiative by an association and that the
Commission is in no way bound by the statements made concerning it. Moreover, no documentation or
request concerning the project has been referred to the Commission.

Without wishing to prejudge the importance of creating a museum of
the
Commission finds it inconceivable that a European cultural measure could fail to recognise the diversity
of traditions and cultures on which our identity is based today.

this kind in Brussels,

(2000/C 219 E/216)

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(cid:146)s firearms permit to allow them to hunt in the country where they are visiting for
that purpose, and a hunter(cid:146)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

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Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

1.8.2000

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
inasmuch as the citizens in question are
especially the use of these weapons in each Member State,
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.

(2000/C 219 E/217)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2464/99

by Dominique Souchet (UEN) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Drift net fishing

The European Union has decided to ban the use of drift nets from 31 December 2001 for tuna fishing in
the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

The European Union has provided for financial aid under the new regulatory framework in order to enable
vessels to be converted for use with other fishing gear. Following a series of studies carried out by the
fishing industry,
it appears that vessels equipped for tuna fishing using drift nets cannot easily be
converted for use with other fishing gear. Fisherman are therefore faced with the prospect of having to
build new vessels that are more suited to the regulatory changes being introduced in the industry.

In this specific case, will the Commission consider the possibility, for the building of suitable vessels, of a
specific allocation of kilowatts being made on an exceptional basis for the equipment concerned, which
would of course be complementary and additional to the existing fishing vessel building programme?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 2000)

On 22 November 1999 the Fisheries Council reached an agreement on the Regulation laying down the
detailed rules and arrangements regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries sector, which
sets the conditions on which a Member State may renew and modernise its fishing fleet, with or without
public aid.