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EU strengthens firearms control

Xinhua, April 25, 2017 Adjust font size:

The Council of the European Union (EU) on Tuesday adopted a new directive on the control of weapons in the bloc, the EU said in a statement.

The new directive tightens controls on the acquisition and possession of firearms in the EU and strengthens the rules on the traceability of firearms used in criminal activities by including a new obligation to mark all the essential components of the weapons.

The amendments also include measures on firearms conversion and stricter rules for the possession of the most dangerous firearms, meaning some dangerous semi-automatic firearms are now prohibited for civilian use.

Carmelo Abela, Maltese minister for home affairs and national security, said the new firearms directive provides for more rigorous controls on the acquisition and possession of firearms.

"So that legitimate channels and regulatory set-ups for the acquisition and possession of firearms are not abused by criminal groups or terrorists," he said.

The amending proposal was submitted by the European Commission in November 2015 against the backdrop of a series of terrorist acts that took place in Europe. Endit