The Home Affairs Directorate General of the European Commission has put forward proposals to completely rewrite the EU Firearms Directive by 2015.
The Directive lays down strict minimum rules on the legal acquisition, possession of and trade in firearms that all member states must comply with.
FACE, the European Hunters’ representative organisation is opposing the proposals with the assistance of BASC and other FACE UK members.
The UK has some of the toughest firearms laws in the world which in many instances already exceed the requirements of the Directive. There is no evidence to justify many of the claims made by the Home Affairs Directorate General about the criminal misuse of guns. Policy must be based on sound evidence. Lawfully owned and used firearms are not the problem. Trying to tackle gun crime by increasing restrictions on lawful use has failed many more times than it has succeeded