It is clear that the terrorist attack in Paris was conducted with weapons that were fully automatic military assault rifles and illegal explosive devices, that are just that, illegal to posess in EU.
There is in practical terms NO LEGAL way to own a fully automatic weapon in any EU member state. The few that allow that, have already severe legal restrictions for licencing such weapons.
The ONLY thing effected by this European Commission control measure is to restrict LEGAL ownership of weapons used for hunting and sports shooting. Wether a firearm has a ”traditional” look or is similar to a military fully automatic weapon does not reduce the lethality of a firearm.
So probably now the European Commission will be going for the LEGALLY owned semi-automatic rifles that are used in some rifle sports shooting.
This sets a dangerous prescedent. What will be the next step? Traditional looking mauser action hunting rifles with ”too” powerful military calibres and scopes. They will of course be labelled as ”sniper rifles” and forbidden.
After that, the shotguns, with their devastating capabilities as close combat weapons and as door breachers in home assaults.
Let us be clear on this one. Weapons legislation must be a NATIONAL interest, based on the national needs for hunting, sports shooting, defence or any other activity that the independent NATIONAL STATES decides, based on their policies and cultures.
A statesman must act properly on whatever crisis he or she identifies.
Most certainly, the perpetrators used ILLEGAL firearms, smuggled from outside of the EU and probably used by terrorists that regardless would not have received any LEGAL weapons licence in any EU member state with CURRENT rules.
Jean-Claude Junker, you’re only disarming a group of EU citizens that owns their weapons legally, within their national legislations. You will most probably find that legal weapons owners are more law abiding citizens than the average EU citizen, due to the responsibility and diligence that is required to retain a weapons licence in most EU countries.
I encourage the European Commission to fight the illegal weapons smuggling from outside the European Union.
None of the control measures that the European Commission want to impose will increase the safety and security of the EU citizens from terrorist crimes.
The only thing that will happen is that law abiding citizens will loose their right to continue to enjoy hunting, sports shooting and in some cases uphold the shooting skills required for their duties within their national defences.
In practical terms, the European Commission is decreasing the defensive capabilities of its memeber states.
Probably not the right thing to do in theese times.
I urge the European Parliament and Council to repel this proposal and that the European Parliament should stress the importance of fighting ILLEGAL weapons ownership.
And now, Jean-Claude Juncker, you have not acted like a statesman. You acted like a reckless populist, with no regard of the effect of your proposal for people that are law abiding.