These Rules make amendments to the Firearms Rules 1998 for the purpose of implementing the requirements of Directive (EU) 2017/853 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017 amending Council Directive 91/477/EEC on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons.
Rules 2(3) and 2(4) implement article 5(1) (a) of the 1991 Directive, as amended by article 1(6) of the 2017 Directive, which restricts the acquisition and possession of firearms by persons under the age of 18. Article 5(1) (a) permits a person under the age of 18 to acquire or possess a firearm provided that responsibility for its proper storage is assumed by a parent or an adult who holds a valid firearm authorisation.
Rule 2(5) implements paragraphs 1 and 2 of article 4 of the 1991 Directive, as amended by article 1(3) of the 2017 Directive, which sets out the marking requirements for firearms and essential component parts of firearms manufactured or imported into the EU on or after 14 September 2018 and ammunition. Rule 2(5) amends the particulars to be entered by firearms dealers into the register of transactions under Part 4 of Schedule 5 to the Rules (firearms dealer’s register of transactions) to reflect the changes to the requirements for marking firearms.
Source: HMSO.