MEP says EU firearms directive could ‘backfire’

MEP Marlene Mizzi has said that proposed changes to the EU gun directive could potentially have a reverse effect by driving even more firearms into to the black market.

Speaking at the European market, Mizzi said that any reform must find the right balance between the obligation for the states to safeguard the security and safety of the general public, and the right to ownership of certain types of firearms by law-abiding citizens, sportspersons, collectors, museums and historical or cultural bodies.

Mizzi explained how, following the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, which left some 130 people killed, the European Commission adopted a revision of the European Firearms Directive (EFD).

“While the Commission aims to make firearms less accessible to terrorists and criminals alike, the outcome of the new law might actually have a reverse effect,” she said.

During the Internal Market Committee's debate on the new rules on gun control, Mizzi stressed that a key concern for her is the lack of any impact assessments on the new rules.

"It is difficult to evaluate, without an impact assessment, if the proposed measures will indeed make illegal firearms less accessible to terrorists and criminal, or whether they will disproportionately punish the law-abiding citizens thus driving even more guns into to the black market,” she said, pointing out that the lack of an impact assessment is a serious flaw in the Commission's proposal.

"I am in favour of strengthening the rules for the circulation of deactivated firearms, improving the traceability of weapons and having better exchange of information and control between member states, but I do not agree with the Commission's assumption that all collectors, sportsperson and owners of legally owned weapons are potential criminals or terrorists."

 Mizzi said that she would do her best to ensure that the new law safeguards citizens' security and safety without forcing private collectors, museums or law-abiding citizens to destroy their historic firearms, which account for a substantial part of national heritage.

 Mizzi further stressed that the proposal needs a major change to achieve its main goals in tackling the illegal trafficking of firearms, because at this stage it only affects legally-owned and registered guns and gun owners in Europe who already go through various forms of background checks and licensing, threatening them to ban and confiscate at any time anything that is even bought legally.

“A balance needs to be struck between ensuring public safety and safeguarding bona fide collectors, sportspersons and museums,” she said.