2020-2025 EU action plan on firearms trafficking

Summary:

Communication published by the European Commission on 24 July 2020, setting out the European Union's approach in tackling firearms trafficking for the period 2020-2025.

Further information:

Firearms hold the potential to increase the danger posed by serious and organised crime, including terrorism. As an area without internal borders, the European Union has played an active part against this threat. Despite previous action, challenges remain and a new set of actions became necessary to keep pace with them, as identified by the Commission's assessment of the previous Action Plan.

This Communication proposed a single Action Plan for both the EU and Southeast Europe partners around four specific priorities to address remaining legal loopholes and inconsistencies in firearms controls that hinder police cooperation. This Action Plan defines activities for a shared understanding and a common way forward on how to address the threat of illicit firearms. It includes the definition of performance indicators for the EU and Member States, inspired by best practice developed by Western Balkan partners.

This Action Plan integrates into the EU framework the intergovernmental initiative on combating illicit arms trafficking - the 2018 Western Balkans Roadmap. This integration responds to a strong request from all partners. It is also part of the Commission's latest Security Union Strategy.

• Primary Source

Official

European Commission: Press Release, 24/07/2020: Delivering on a Security Union: initiatives to fight child sexual abuse, drugs and illegal firearms https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_1380

European Commission: Delivering on a Security Union: Questions and Answers (24 July 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_20_1381

European Commission: Press statement by Commissioner Johansson on initiatives to fight child sexual abuse, drugs and firearms (24 July 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_20_1413

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