The European Union is upping its gun-tracing rules as part of efforts to better track the estimated 35 million illegal firearms in civilian hands across the bloc and put a stop to terror and gang violence.
Negotiators from the European Parliament and Council clinched a deal Thursday that will create a central database for gun-makers and dealers.
In response to terror attacks, the Commission launched the reform in late 2022, aiming to set up an electronic licensing system to replace paper-based national schemes for manufacturers and dealers.
Tighter restrictions will not apply to military or police firearms but by 2028 all member countries should either start using the EU database or fold their existing system into it.
As part of the reform, the European Commission will also publish an annual report detailing gun import and export figures — while also revealing any seizures or refused arms shipments.
“There are still inadequate controls on the import and export of handguns,” said Bernd Lange, the chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee who ran work on the file, adding: “In Latin America for instance, many illegal activities and shootings use handguns smuggled in from Europe; revising the inadequate rules was more than overdue.”
