Nuremberg –-(Ammoland.com)- Today, at the International Weapons Exhibition (IWA) and Outdoor Classics 2017 trade show in Nuremberg, Germany, FACE and the Association of European Manufacturers of Sporting Firearms (ESFAM) strengthened again their bond and commitment to tackle remaining critical issues of the Firearms Directive ahead of the crucial vote in the European Parliament plenary session mid of March 2017.
Provisions for authorisations, licenses, including renewals and prolongations, and storage of firearms still remain unclear, with a danger of over-regulation leading to poor implementation in the Member States.
Joachim Streitberger, Secretary General of ESFAM, and Ludwig Willnegger, Secretary General of FACE, criticized the foreseeable burdens and obstacles, which manufacturers and hunters will be confronted with, such as distant contracts and the marking of essential firearms components.
In summary, the new Firearms Directive will not address the real risks of illegal firearms reaching terrorists and criminals. Instead, this proposal only risks harming legal manufacturers, brokers and users of firearms, such as hunters and sport shooters.
About FACE:
FACE is the Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU. Established in 1977, FACE represents the interests of Europe’s 7 million hunters as an international non-profit-making nongovernmental organisation. FACE is made up of national hunters’ associations from 36 European countries including the EU-28. FACE is supported by 7 associate members and is based in Brussels.
FACE upholds the principle of sustainable use and has been a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 1987. FACE works with its partners on a range of hunting-related matters from international conservation agreements to local implementation issues with the aim of sustaining hunting across Europe.
www.face.eu