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The French Ministry of the Interior is organising, on 8 February, a European Symposium on Firearms Control. The new French arms information system will be presented at this occasion.
The event will precede an informal meeting of national experts in charge of the Firearms Directive, organised jointly with the European Commission.
Through a day of discussions, opened by the French Minister of the Interior, the participants will address the issues surrounding arms regulation and control and examine the approaches of the countries represented and the various stakeholders concerned by the possession of firearms (individuals and professionals, representatives of internal security forces, local elected representatives, etc.).
Arms control policies will be discussed through several presentations on the following topics:
- The European Union’s goals for arms regulation and control and for amending Directive (EU) 2021/555 on the control of the acquisition and possession of weapons
- The situation concerning the illicit trafficking and diversion of arms in Europe and the focuses of the EU’s enforcement efforts
The day will also comprise round tables bringing together participants from various EU countries, with the aim of bringing diverse perspectives to the major issues related to arms control:
Heads of internal security forces from various countries will present their methods of conducting home checks of individuals lawfully in possession of firearms as well as their experience and best practices concerning operations to inspect places where firearms are held, in particular firearm businesses.
- Firearm holders involved in various recreational activities (hunting, sport shooting, collecting, etc.) will discuss their relationship to arms regulations and control and will look to the future of their discipline or activity.
- Representatives from the firearms trade (manufacturers, importers, retailers, etc.) will discuss the issues specific to this field and the need to regulate it through certain safety guarantees suited to these products.
- Lastly, local elected officials will offer their view on the movement, regulation and control of arms.