(Photo: WSJ)
The European Union announced last week its latest slate of draconian gun control measures. The new regulations cover everything from museums and collectors to medical tests but stop short of imposing a total ban on AR-15s and AK-47s.
The Commission handed down nine major changes to EU gun law, but the most drastic revision imposes a total ban on “dangerous” semi-automatic firearms. These firearms include automatic weapons modified to be semi-automatic, long guns less than 60 cm (23.6 in) in length, long guns with “loading devices” of more than 10 rounds, and “short guns” with loading devices of more than 20 rounds.
Reading between the lines, residents of the EU will still be able to possess AR and AK pattern rifles as long as they do not use magazines of more than 10 rounds. Pistol magazines will be capped at 20.
While European gun owners no doubt breathed a sigh of relief, the Commission said they would have liked “a complete ban of the most dangerous semi-automatic firearms, including all semi-automatic firearms of the AK47 or AR15 families.” They would have also liked to impose a magazine ban on anything greater than 10 rounds, regardless of firearm length.
The Commission failed to impose all the restrictions it wanted due to opposition from several unidentified “co-legislators.” European countries tend to have stricter gun laws than the United States, but several countries like Switzerland have long traditions of gun ownership. These countries may have opposed the total ban on AR-15s, though the official Commission report does not say one way or the other.
Even though AR-15s and AK-47s are not totally banned, the new directives will still end one of Switzerland’s longest standing traditions. As we reported earlier this year, nearly every male Swiss citizen serves in the military and learns how to use a rifle. For many years Swiss citizens have been allowed to keep their rifles once they leave the service, provided it has been modified to only fire one round per trigger-pull.
The new directive prohibits ownership of any automatic firearm modified to be semi-automatic. It also explicitly states that the new laws will apply to Switzerland, even though Switzerland is not a member of the EU. Unless Swiss authorities are able to come to some kind of compromise with EU officials, Swiss citizens will no longer be allowed to keep their service rifles.
The new laws also impose harsher restrictions on weapons that could easily be modified to fire live ammunition. “Alarm and acoustic weapons” and deactivated weapons will in the future be regulated in the same manner as standard firearms. The Commission’s directive will also treat museums and collectors like civilian firearm owners.
One of the strangest new regulations forces member countries to institute medical tests for firearm ownership. Details regarding medical tests will be determined by member states, but it’s unclear precisely what these tests could entail.
Before becoming official, the new regulations will be subject to a confirmation by the European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee in January followed by a European Parliament plenary vote, as Reuters reported. While there is a slim chance that these new restrictions stumble along the way, all signs suggest that they will be formally adopted by the EU Council of Ministers.
No self-respecting jihadi will concern themselves with EU gun ban any more than they concern themselves with vehicle operation regulations banning them from driving trucks on sidewalks. EU is lost to socialists. After UN resolution over recognizing Israels capital hope EU isn’t counting on US to save them from Caliphate cause we’re sitting their upcoming war with radical Islam out.
Hitlergruß
Sieg Heil coming to an Eurpoen country near you.
What comes next ??
This is how started last go round.
Switzerland isn’t even a member of the EU! Why would they want to take away their damn service weapons. The Swiss have been militarily trained on the weapons and they are the first line of defense in case of invasion. Not like there’s a big problem there either. I think we ALL know what’s going on here. Europe had better fight this action and HARD, especially the Swiss!
Step by step, little by little. The big plan is One World Government, a New World Order. That’s what all of those G8, G12, G20 summits are all about. Disarm the peasants, We The People, and then we won’t be able to stop a blitzkrieg by the UselessNited Nations blue helmets as they roll over us. Our current president, Barrack Hussein used to have a Chief Of Staff, now the Mayor Of Chicago, the 9.5 fingered ballerina, Rahm Emanuel that said at the time that he was Hussein’s Chief Of Staff, “Never let a good crisis go to waste”, and Hussein hasn’t. Every time that there’s a shooting, mass or otherwise he and the left make another push for gun control. Its a worldwide effort by the rulers…disarm We The People, and these United States Of America are the biggest road block, and one day…One World Government because no one will be able to stop them. Never give up your guns or ammo. Never ever.
Good thing we are not part of the EU then! Never will be either.
No, but we’re part of the U.N. and they’re on the same page. It’s a no brain’r we’Re going to have to fight for our Liberty/Freedom again. GOD help us!
Actually, one note in this regard: According to Swiss Interior Minister Simonetta Sommaruga, Swiss citizens will continue to keep their service rifles. I guess that’s some consolation, but I fully expect the Swiss to be less than pleased. Switzerland has a longstanding tradition of firearms ownership. And a fact not widely reported is that many Swiss continue to believe that two of the several factors that saved them from Nazi occupation in WWII was superior knowledge of their own terrain and great personal stores of weapons, as well as intimate knowledge of their use. Unfortunately, Europeans largely haven’t learned from that Swiss experience, and anti-gun zealots in the US have no intention of learning, well, anything. But those of us who know what’s at stake must continue steadfastly to support the 2A — to whatever end.
Globalization is homeopathic government… dilute, dilute and then dilute some more…
that article has some missinformation in it. we swiss do not want to go inside the eu as show in voting yet the (payd) politicans do want pull swiss into the eu and they did so half way or more by change existent swiss law to eu level and norms. so we pay alot of money to the eu and are not member and have alot of eu laws in translated into swiss law and we see in the not to distant future on how this nonsense strict gunlaw will affect the swiss gun law.
a bit of swiss history. i had to grow up there as semi auto rifle where banned, illegally banned as a judge did later put down that law, it was illegally done by kurt furgler, mogest du hurensohn in der holle brennen. then for a short while semi auto rifle where absolute legal and the jugoslav war did start and the swiss gvt had nothing better to do than to restrict and ban dangerous looking arms for foreign people (that never had the right to buy them in swiss, jet jassir arafat did buy back then in swiss with swiss lizense a handfull of modern pistols, minimum one sig 210 and he openly sayd that where he lives he cant get that that easy but sure can use and need it, the swiss did arm a terrorist eaven back then) and restrict and ban it again for the swiss people as well! later on the great swiss gvt did had nothing better to do than work on destroy the gun culture the military service did keep up by stop giving the swiss soldier ammo fior the rifle or pistol to take home with the rest of the military equipment including the gun, gasmask, swiss army knife and else more. as long as i was in the swiss military we always got ammo home, sealed in a can and only 24 rnds, a full magazine load for the stgw 57 calss 3 rifle we had but not anymore, officially you dont get ammo home and i can only hope that the swiss people that are still stuck there will organize some ammo themself so that they are not complete defenseless.
by that jugo war time the swiss crime rate did climb and it do so since then, more and more foreign people where let in to a level that many including me did not feel comfortable anymore. if you grow up there in heidiland and you see it go down and downer and you cant keep it up in the way it was it is a sad thing to watch i can assure you!
later on in swiss the great swiss gvt had the idea to register all firearms there and sure they did try to and the people there did willingly like sheep go ahead and register theyr arms and we all now what follow after registration one day: confiscation. and cause all good stupid swiss did do so they will all get disarmed and be victim one day, as you see it in history over and over again. that was enough for me and i legally emigrated and became us citizen.
non of the swiss gun laws nor that new eu gunlaw will help or be of alot of use against the hardest crime wave we face in europe. all it does is create a stirr, to further more disarm the good people and leave then at the end hopeless on the ground as a victim. if the eu and swiss gvt say oh we outlaw this and that they go to theyr registers and then simple send the police for grab all what they declared illegal and its taken away. a good example is currently in germany going on, they try to take away legal arms from what they named rechsburger, a group of people that has a different view on the politcial matters in germany. for decades that was ok, now as it gets tight by the next german vote in 2017 the german gvt want as many as possible disarmed or at least less and less legal arms around cause these are the most easy to disarm, the criminals they have way less chances to disarm them, again cause not registered. it is gona be interesting there in 2017 im sure.
after explain a slice of the whole bs that goes on in swiss, germany and eu i can only warn the us people to better watch it close, as us citizen, as i am too, to not allow such happen in usa or you will be victim. no matter who come, un, eu, the liberals or else, the only matter that keeps us well here in usa is the freedom that we have and the most modern arms to protect that freedom from any enemy – period!
nachtrag, we see again this ny eve in europe how many victims they will have. they are much defenseless victims there and the police will or can not help much. as you watch or read about all these victims of horrable crimes allways remember, that could be you or your family, friends or next doors, if we let ouer guards down! die schweiz war die grosste scheisse meines lebens!
This is why I am a member of the NRA. While not perfect, we do have a group that stays on top of what is happening within the federal government. And the NRA has a political wing that mobilizes its membership to fight attempts to unreasonably regulate or prohibit gun ownership.
Would gun control nuts want to remove a mother bear’s claws and her capacity to defend herself and her young? Then why do they want to remove our ability to defend ourselves?
Most of our unconstitutional gun laws were supported by the nra
/crickets
My guess is that here in the U.S. they’re going to try and use some chickens**t loophole, like outlawing ammunition, stating that it isn’t guaranteed under the Constitution. Organization is the key to holding on to our weapons. Sure the NRA is ONE way to battle the grabbers, but don’t feel all warm and fuzzy/secure that they’ll be able to stop the Grabbers, just fighting through legislation, because ONE DAY, they WILL be knocking at our doors. Would be kinda nice to know who is and who isn’t on your side during this time. Just don’t say ANYTHING stupid, like one group (I’ll leave them unamed) after having a few beers. Keep it on the up and up and you should be just fine. If someone does say something stupid, show them the door with EXTREME PREJUDICE!
Make no mistake. The EU ministers know gun control doesn’t work. This is all about power and securing themselves to the detriment of the public they think is inferior.
The general purpose of a firearm is to be dangerous. HOWEVER firearms are simply a tool and it is the operator that determines the danger level.
A tool for us deplorables in Shasta County, CA
Thank you. I never would have thought of that.
So that’s why cowboys used them to pry out staples and drive fence post staples.
I have some of those tools for sale.
Don
Live on in your own little uninformed world in Shasta County, MexiFornia pathetic Don ! ! ! No amount of facts, common sense, history, discussion, creator-given rights can penetrate your lack of normal I.Q. . . . good luck, you sure are in for a hard-road life time ! ! !
Steps to achieve Globalization : Free trade > open borders > dissolve sovereignty > disarm > surveillance … and not necessarily in a particular order … please pass the Koolaid 😉 There is nothing that the US receives from the closed door G summits!
Who gives a crap WHAT the EU does? If the people of the EU want to LET them do it then Oh Well! THIS is NOT the EU it’s the AF and the AF is NOT GONNA let them do anything of the sort.
EuExit
Wake up America. If the EU (or the UN) can try to impose this kind of law on Switzerland do you really think that we are not in line for the same kind of attempt. We have a lot of enemies that want to see the U.S. taken down and we need to strengthen our 2nd amendment rights, not watch them be eroded by gun control nuts. At some point American citizens may be standing on the front line to defend our way of life.
Didn’t the Swiss in WWII suggest that if the Germans invaded with 4x their population, that they would need to fire their rifles 4 times? It sounds like the Swiss need to tell the EU to go back to Brussels and pound sand, perhaps by suggesting that if they want their weapons, they should come and take them.
How exactly does the EU have any control over Switzerland? Is there intent to forceably dissarm the Swiss by EU “forces”
The EU is gradually falling apart anyway – what will be left is the EEU as most of what was “Eastern Europe” – been sucking the blood out of what was “Western Europe” – Britain is out, looks like the French may well attempt that next year, then Italy and …
next step lets be rid of the UN!
They (Switzerland) are associated with the EU. Guess that’s all it takes.
“Switzerland is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and took part in negotiating the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement with the European Union. It signed the agreement on 2 May 1992, and submitted an application for accession to the EU on 20 May 1992.”
Why does Guns America twist the facts all the time? Switzerland is not in the EU. Each country in the EU has its own gun laws. The UK prohibits everything except shotguns and hunting rifles. You have to prove a reason to have either. Member of a club, farmer, estate manager etc.
Please name the EU Countries where you can own an AR or AK. I do not know of any except maybe some East European members.
the article clearly says Switzerland is not in the EU.
LOL, so you claim twisting of facts and in the very same argument say that “I dont know of any”. What this article said is fact you can start with that.
IF you think the UK’s oppressive gun laws actually work you need to read about Robert Kleasen, the “real Texas chainsaw murderer” who moved to Britain and managed to acquire dozens of guns even though he was a foreigner with a very serious criminal history and a complete nut job. The British have traditionally had a lower violent crime rate not because of gun laws, but because their urban culture is very different from ours. Alas that is changing and at some point I suspect their citizenry will once again demand the right to defend themselves. It looks like “Brexit” was a good start toward that.
srsquidizen, The british do not have a lower crime rate than the United States. The U.N. did a violent crime rate per capita in all developed countries. Britain had a much higher violent crime rate than America. You might have confused gun related crime rates with other weapons used in violent crime such as knives, clubs, hammers, etc, etc.
Never the less, I don’t think that a Brit would take much comfort in not facing a gun in the hands of his attacker, when his knife severed aorta is causing him to rapidly bleed out.
You may be right. I said “traditionally” because at one time violent crime was largely confined to certain “rough” urban neighborhoods such as Whitechapel (Jack the Ripper’s) in London. Nowadays the whole country is probably becoming a giant Whitechapel with all the riff-raff they’re not just allowing in they’re rolling out a red carpet for them. Agree blades and blunt instruments have always been weapons of choice in tough London back alleys…a gun is simply not up-close and personal enough when limey thugs need to make a “point” excuse the pun.
I’m thinking Brexit may have prompted this move, leading the EU to think the British were, either going to drop out of the EU and or demand their weapons back. May be too late for either. They made a deal with the Devil and now are suffering the concequences. Hopefully they can pull out of their nosedive and it’s not too damn late.
I guess I don’t quite understand how The Swiss are not in the E.U. Yet are subject to E.U. Policy.
It’s simple. “POLOTICIANS”. It has to do with the EU bullying the Swiss over trade deals. And we all know the bottom line of trade deals is all about the money. Check out the pasted link by the author “As we “reported” earlier this year”………..
I gave up a long time ago with Europe and their overbearing firearms laws. What surprises me is they’ve actually been able to own AK47 and AR15 weapons privately. Now that they have the massive muslim problem they are passing all these stupid laws. I have a hard time feeling sorry for them in suffering the violence of savage muslims. This globalist bullshit is for the birds.
I’m a bit surprised that the European people by and large seem to be alright with nearly total disarmament under the guise of public safety. It was only 3/4 of a century ago that this very scheme was used to leave them helpless in the face genocide.
Short memories, I suppose.
And, so it goes Switzerland is no longer a sovereign nation… just a snow globe entity. Kudos to Globalization… The freight train is coming!
Christian – Thank you for posting here. We in North America are usually not tuned in to gun laws and events in other continents; we’re too busy fighting our own stupid politicians to preserve some semblance of sanity. Here in Minnesota we have liberal senators, a liberal governor and mostly liberal representatives. Unions run this state. They are inept and care nothing for our freedoms. These people are responsible for importing more and more violent Somali muslims who have no intention of becoming American. It is BECAUSE of these politicians that Americans MUST stay armed – it’s no longer a question or an option if we intend to be safe. Radical muslim terrorists and criminals of every stripe WILL always have guns . . . and liberal politicians will allow them to kill real Americans. Stay safe over there.
Hello Jack,
your welcome. I was glad to read one day on Gunsamerica, that more and more people in Germany and other European countries have started to arm themselves with everything they can get legally, might it be pepper spray, stun guns, batons and whatever else they can buy. The situation over here leaves us no other choice and I was shocked to learn that the USA is suffering the exactly same problems with violent immigrants that don’t care about the laws of the country they are in. Right now, I have a prime example of our draconian gun laws, as in Germany we can only buy fireworks from 28th to 31st December. If you love firecrackers and sorts of these things this is the only time you can buy that stuff here and I refuse to buy it because it doesn’t contain any kind of explosive power, except of course if you hit an attacker directly. These explosives are loud but far away from real explosives so until this day I wonder why in Germany we can only buy them during the time of New Year’s Eve, while I know that in states like Colorado you can buy them all the time. I do not believe this is because of the safety of children or something like that because two weeks ago, they just got a boy in Berlin walking around with 114 (!) kilos of illegal firecrackers. So, making these things legal to buy only for a few days won’t stop bad guys from getting their hands on the real dangerous illegal stuff from Eastern Europe. Same goes of course with guns. It was even a shame that the police didn’t got the truck driver that broke havoc on one of our Christmas markets. I do believe, that if the citizens were armed like they are in certain US states he would never dared to do this, or he would had been killed by trying to flee from the scene.
At least, now with Trump going into the White House, there are big hopes for you guys again. I hope we will have these here soon as well, because next year will be our elections too. The AFD has my vote 100%.
Thanks for your post.
Your welcome Gary. 🙂
The EU AND the UN need to go take a flying leap off a very tall cliff if they think they will start imposing their idiotic laws on countries that aren’t even part of their organization. Let’s see what’s going to happen with Br-exit, now Trump elected….we’ll see how long either stands. I have to agree with Huckabee….defund the UN and help our vets!!!!
AMERICANISM!!!! NOT Globalism!!!!!
defund the UN
Count my vote for that !
The UN is just another name for the League of Nations, which also was worse than totally useless. Send them to whichever country wants to pay 25% of their costs and put up with the overbearing idiots.
you guys read too much fake news. The UN and EU are not coming for your guns, just like Obama wasn’t. As former Military and a gun owner for defense and hunting and just the range I also check the stuff people send me online. I left the NRA because of all the fake/”enhanced” news they were sending me in the post and by email.
You say you are former military; if so, you should know better. Maobama, the UN and the EU all have been trying to this very day. Those three have been the worst of the bunch. Simply read their statements and look at firearm legislation they have offered or have passed.
You are either a troll or a fool. I do say that Obama and the dimocrats are the all time gun and ammo salesmen.
It wasn’t like Obama didn’t try. Evidentally you underestimate the power of the People. Americans aren’t just going to hand them over. If you don’t realize that Obama and Co. would give their left nut for our guns, then either your very, VERY ignorant, or are a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I happen to think the Left allows/encourages the good ppl of Chicago to shoot eachother, by not giving harsh penalties for gun crimes, so when the time comes they can use Chi-town as an example of why we should hand in our guns in order to stop the violence. Americans are waaay too smart for this to work though. We know IF ‘The Great Equalizer’ (the gun) is ALLOWED to be taken away, we’re screwed, because, NEWS-FLASH, criminals tend to not obey the laws and we’d become endangered Slaves overnight, guaranteed. Hope you don’t have to learn the hard way. I trust my instincts and am not up for an experiment that I already know the results to. Besides, Tyranny is more of a threat than gangs, but I happen to believe they’d work hand in hand anyway, just like Nazi Germany. Maybe I just have way better foresight than you, reguardless, like I said, I’m not willing to take the chance and see. I’ll hang on to my guns, just like the Constitution and the Founders intended for me to do, because even though I have excellent foresight, the Founding Fathers have even me beat 🙂
Take a good hwrd look a the EU projecting its policies/Law on “NON MEMBER Switzerland”. This can only be accomplished with a high level threat against something Switzerland values more, like International Banking! If this surrender of the Swiss peoples Rights goes forward, it is only because the were sold.
Let us not stray to far from the threat to our firearms Rights by the U.N.
IF the Swiss must abide by these silly rules without even being a member of the EU it’s because of TREATIES they’ve signed, just like the ones Obama has been trying to impose on Americans through the UN. Glad he’s leaving and even more glad he’s NOT being replaced by more of the same in a pastel pants suit. Time to shut down the Useless Nuthouse and turn that expensive piece of real estate into a Trump casino.
Living in California, I can attest to the accuracy of the CalTard cognomen. If you care about being free to arm yourself as you see fit, if you want to live as free as you can on this earth, you have to leave this forsaken place and go. I for one am here for one last year and then I’m off to better places, at least until in a fit of Democratic rage, Obama stays for a third term after removing Trump before the inauguration or until Hillary gives birth to the antichrist; whichever comes first 😉
“The new directive prohibits ownership of any automatic firearm modified to be semi-automatic. It also explicitly states that the new laws will apply to Switzerland, even though Switzerland is not a member of the EU.”
Say what? How the hell does that work? Looks like the Swiss need to go 1776 on their asses.
How, exactly, does the EU impose law on a non-member? I wouldn’t count Switzerland out yet. They have a very firm grasp of what it means to be a small country protected only by rugged terrain and armed citizens. I don’t think they’re going to change their culture because someone waved their hands in Brussels. I’d guess Switzerland will only give up their guns when Israel does.
Hopefully, the US will begin educating its’ people again because the US is beginning to be a small nation too. It has only 320m citizens, many of whom are old, young or infirm. China has 1.357 billion (1,357m) over four times more than the US. India has 1.252 billion just a touch less than four times the US population. Pakistan and Indonesia are closing the gap fast and together have about as many as the US.
Russia is way down at #9 with 142m. Germany has 80m, France 66 m, UK 64m, Italy 61m. Switzerland, with only 8m is very close to Israel with 8m, only Switzerland has much better defensive terrain.
Here’s a scary thought. Last week it was reported that the Phillipines (100m) is cozying up to China. That would give China the opening it needs to get out into the Pacific for real along with another good-sized chunk of population, naval bases, etc. China has already been building bases all over the place including a chain to Africa. The US needs to start worrying about the big players and let the little players do little things in little arenas.
Without reading the news at Gunsamerica I would have never heard about it. While I agree that this is a serious issue for the residents of Switzerland, it is not for anyone living inside the EU but outside of Switzerland because our gun laws are already so horribly draconian since the dawn of time, that it doesn’t matter to us at all. For example, here in Germany guns like the AR-15 and other stuff like that are called weapons of war (Kriegswaffen in German) by the law and these are 100% forbidden for civilians, no matter if you are a member of a shooting club or not. And even if you are in a shooting club the restrictions are, from what I heard, horrible and it needs a lot to buy and also keep a pistol at your own home. For example, after the massacre of Winnenden in 2009 they even enforced the rules for keeping your gun at home in a safe.
I have no other way but in carrying two concealed pocket knives in my pockets and in earlier days I carried CS gas but this is only allowed to be used against animals, except if you have to use it in a real defense situation. But good luck to you if your opponent was one of those “friendly peace-loving” foreigners and you were not. Because then the government will bust your ass guaranteed and the media will often do so as well. I don’t care, I carry since 2012 and I am proud of it and feel much safer since that time because you can surely never rely on police here. And I am ready to use my stuff anytime I or someone else would be attacked. Luckily, after these 4 years of carrying, it wasn’t the case yet, but you never know. I also have some combat knifes and also a Gurkha sword but they are too big to be carried concealed in a jacket and it takes you too much of time to get them out of your backpack in a defense situation. That is why I just keep them at home, in case of burglars. The stupid thing is, you can buy them in a shop or online legally, as soon as you are 18 years old, but it is not allowed to leave the shop with them, not even concealed or in a backpack or whatever, if the blade is longer than 12 centimeters and the blades of these ones normally are. Yet, if I could I would truly give all of my combat and pocket knives for a good Desert Eagle with two full magazines, then I really would be satisfied but that is impossible to do so here.
And guess what, I do strongly believe that without those draconian gun laws we would have taken our European countries already back from our political scum so long ago. That is what makes the USA really special, compared to the rest of the world and that is why I personally was very happy when I heard that Trump was elected and not Hillary. And I have certain colleagues that are too. There is hope for America, while there is not as many hope for us here, because our cities like Berlin are filled with the people you can normally, from what I have read in plenty of comments here, find only in certain states like California.
Wow, CalTards have immigrated and gotten seats in the EU. Always blame the object for its abuse, and not the abuser. It does not solve anything, but it gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling.