European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
European Arms Policy
Control of the acquisition and possession of weapons [EU Legislation in Progress]
Written by Jana Valant (4th edition), In the aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks, in November 2015 the European Commission presented a package of measures aiming to tighten control on the acquisition and possession of firearms in the European Union, improve traceability of legally held firearms and enhance cooperation between Member States, as well as … Continue reading
Le contrôle des armes à feu dans l’UE
L’utilisation abusive des armes à feu représente un enjeu en termes de sécurité et de santé publique. Au sein de l’Union européenne (UE), ces armes sont la cause de plusieurs milliers de décès par an. Les homicides ne sont qu’une partie des infractions commises avec des armes à feu. Celles-ci sont utilisées dans le cadre … Continue reading
Ratifying the UN Firearms Protocol
According to the United Nations, the black market in arms trafficking generates on average US$240 million per year. This amounts to 10-20% of the legal arms market. Aimed at countering this phenomenon, the Firearms Protocol (UNFP) to the UN Convention on Organised Crime, in force since 2005, has now to be concluded by the European … Continue reading
The EU framework for arms exports
The aim of the EU arms-trade control framework is to strike a balance between the economic interests of Member States and preventing irresponsible exports to countries that violate human rights and fundamental freedoms. Principal arms exporters From 2007 to 2011 the five largest suppliers of conventional weapons, USA (30%), Russia (24%), Germany (9%), France (8%) … Continue reading
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