101 UK Brexit Notes

Connemara Programme October 16 2018 pg. 90 Travel: European Firearms Pass Before 29 March 2019 The European Firearms Pass (EFP) is a form of passport for firearms and is designed for use by those who are travelling with their firearms between EU countries. EFPs are issued by the EU country in which a firearm owner is resident. You do not need an EFP if you are travelling within the UK and you hold a valid UK firearms certificate. In the UK, police forces are responsible for issuing EFPs to UK residents who have been granted a certificate permitting them to acquire and possess firearms and shotguns. An EFP can only cover the firearms and shotguns that are specified on your certificate. In addition to an EFP, all EU visitors to the UK must hold a valid Visitor’s Permit in order to bring their firearm into the country. The provisions relating to Visitors’ Permits are set out in section 17 of th e Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 and articles 15-16 of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004. An application for a Visitor’s Permit must be made to the local UK police force by the EU visitor’s sponsor in this country and must be accompanied by the EU visitor’s valid EFP or a copy of it. After March 2019 if there is no deal Should the UK leave the EU with no deal, EFPs would no longer be available to UK residents wishing to travel with their firearms to EU countries. You would need to comply with whatever licensing or other requirements each EU country decides to impose, as well as UK import and export licensing requirements (see link below for information about export controls but, in summary, export licences would be required for exports of firearms to EU countries, although there would be an exemption for firearms travelling as personal effects). EFPs would no longer be recognised for EU visitors to the UK. Their sponsors would, as now, have to apply for a Visitor’s Permit but it would no longer be a legal requirement to also produce a valid EFP. This would not weaken the current firearm controls as the police would continue to assess an applicant’s fitness to hold a firearm as part of their consideration of the Visitor’s Permit application. What you need to do UK residents wishing to travel to EU countries with their firearm or shotgun after 29 March 2019 should contact the authorities of the countries concerned for information about their licensing requirements. This advice would also apply to UK residents who are due to be in an EU country with their firearm at the point when the UK leaves the EU. If you are sponsoring an EU visitor to the UK, you should continue to apply to the local police force for a Visitor’s Permit. Permits issued before the UK leaves the EU will remain valid until they expire.