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Call To Action For EU Airsoft Players: Oppose Classifying Replicas As Category C Weapons

Gungho Cowboy

Airsoft players in the European Union should take heed the call to action by our friends from the NABV (Nederlandse Airsoft Belangen Vereniging or the Dutch Airsoft Association) that the European Commission are proposing amendments to Council Directive 91/477/EEC on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons.

The European Airsoft Association, UKAPU, and the NABV are calling all EU -based airsoft association and airsoft players to act now to state their opposition in having replicas, which will include airsoft guns as Category C weapons.

In light of the recent events of terrorist attacks in Paris and ongoing anti-terrorist operations in the European Union, the European Commission last 18 November have proposed amendments to make it more difficult to acquire firearms within the EU.

In a press release by the European Commission, President Juncker said: "The recent terrorist attacks on Europe's people and values were coordinated across borders, showing that we must work together to resist these threats. Today's proposal, prepared jointly by Commissioners Elżbieta Bieńkowska and Dimitris Avramopoulos, will help us tackle the threat of weapons falling into the hands of terrorists. We are proposing stricter controls on sale and registration of firearms, and stronger rules to irrevocably deactivate weapons. We will also come forward with an Action Plan in the near future to tackle illicit arms trafficking. Organised criminals accessing and trading military grade firearms in Europe cannot and will not be tolerated."

The NABV are vigilant, being on the watch for attempts to regulate airsoft replicas by the European Commission and found in the proposed amendments showing the inclusion of replicas, airsoft guns included, as Category C weapons and thus will need to be declared.  This means that airsoft guns would then be classified in the same category such as shotguns and hunting rifles. That also means that airsoft guns are seen to be equally dangerous as these firearms.
If that happens, owners of airsoft guns should declare their ownership and register their guns. Non-compliance can result into penalties and a criminal record.

You can read the document here or click here to download the PDF file containing the whole document.

So what can you do to prevent the classification of airsoft replicas as Category C weapons? NABV have issued a call to action that everyone concerned can follow:

Important!

To all airsoft players of the EU: Your action is required.

After the horrific attacks in Paris the the European Commission has expressed the desire to adopt:

Compulsory Registration for Airsoft Replicas

 Not registering you airsoft replica's will result in criminal penalties and a criminal record.

The European Commission wants to amend the EU firearms directive so as to classify any replica with the form of a firearm as a Category C weapon, this would mean they would at a minimum fall into the same category as most hunting rifles and shotguns in your respective home countries.

Needless to say with the amount of airsoft replicas on the market such a measure would be turning millions of EU citizens in to criminals over night. Airsoft players are in no way responsible for the attacks in Paris! And you cannot stop terrorists by punishing law abiding EU citizens!

Airsofters: You can do something!

The European Commission is asking for comments on the proposal so let the European Commission know what you think in your own words.

You can give your feedback right now by using this link.

Your main demand should be that: Non-convertible replica's should not be placed in Category C of directive 91/477/EEC.

Your talking points need to polite and to the point and could for instance address:

  • Airsoft players are not responsible for terrorism.
  • You cannot covert airsoft replica's in to real firearms.
  • The EU would turn millions of EU citizens in to criminals.
  • The cost of such an EU wide system would be astronomical.
  • It would take way police capacity away from actual terrorist investigations.
  • It would punish law abiding EU citizens for Terrorism.
  • Airsoft replicas are safe
  • Terrorists are not worried by things like registration anyway.
  • Such a database would never be complete considering there are tens of millions of replica's in the EU.

Fellow airsofters do not waste time and start sending you comments to the EU RIGHT NOW! Numbers are important so make sure as many people as possible send in their comments.

Icarus van der Kolk
Board of directors
NABV (Dutch Airsoft Association)

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