Common Sense Prevails in EU vote on Firearms Directive

The Countryside Alliance welcomes the revised amendments to the EU Firearms Directive which protect the rights of legitimate shooters.

The revised amendments, agreed by a committee of the European Parliament, are a significant improvement on the original amendments announced in November last year which would have introduced unnecessary restrictions on legitimate shooters. A huge debt of thanks is owed by the shooting community to Vicky Ford MEP who has consulted widely and led this process in the European Parliament. The changes made to the original amendments show what can be achieved when the shooting community unites, not just in the UK but across Europe. The lobby of MEPs by the Alliance's members and those of other shooting organisations has had a real impact.

The revised amendments to the Firearms Directive are now clearly focused on tackling illicit firearms and closing loopholes in the law, not placing unnecessary restrictions on legitimate shooters which would have done nothing to prevent the criminal misuse of Firearms.

Tim Bonner, Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance said "We are delighted that the European Union's Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) has agreed these sensible changes that protect legitimate shooting interests. Shooters across Europe have lobbied hard to ensure that the European Commission's original amendments which would have harmed legitimate interests but done little to address criminal misuse of firearms are now more fit for purpose. As the revised amendments continue through their remaining stages we will continue to work to ensure that the interests of the shooting community are protected. Despite the Brexit vote these proposals will have, and may continue to have, implications for UK firearms law."