Monday 21 October: Time for stronger EU action against gun violence
The news:
On 21 October 2013, the European Commission will present a communication containing suggestions on how to reduce gun violence in Europe. It will identify actions at EU level, through legislation, operational activities, training and EU funding, to address the threats posed by the illegal use of firearms.
The Commission has identified four priorities under which several concrete actions are considered:
• Increasing pressure on criminal markets;
• Safeguarding the licit market for civilian firearms;
• Reducing diversion of firearms into criminal hands;
• Building better intelligence.
The actions put forward in the communication will facilitate both legal trade in the internal market and law enforcement cooperation in identifying and disrupting organised criminal groups.
The background:
Over the last decade, the EU has taken a number of steps to address the security threat that firearms pose to the internal security of the EU. However, considerable divergences still remain in the national application of rules on firearms, making it easier for organised crime groups and those involved in terrorist activity to exploit legal gaps.
This communication responds to the call by the European Parliament for more action to identify and address vulnerabilities in the lifecycle of firearms, to safeguard lawful production, sale and possession of firearms, to disrupt criminal supply chains and to deter illicit use. It complements the EU’s actions in other key security areas, including the fight against organised crime and terrorism, and the EU’s 2005 strategy on illicit accumulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition.
The event:
IP and MEMO will be available on the day.
Commissioner Malmström will make a statement at the start of the Midday Briefing.
Experts from DG HOME will give a technical briefing off the record.
•Available on EbS
The sources:
Homepage of Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner for Home Affairs:
http://ec.europa.eu/malmstrom" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Homepage DG Home Affairs:
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/index_en.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The contacts:
Michele Cercone +32 229-80963
Michele.Cercone@ec.europa.eu
Tove Ernst +32 229-86764
Tove.Ernst@ec.europa.eu