Overview
- The draft sets maximum prison terms of eight years for illegal trade or manufacture, five for possession, four for removing serial numbers, and two for creating or sharing 3D‑print blueprints.
- Brussels aims to replace 27 divergent national regimes with harmonized penalties that close loopholes exploited by traffickers.
- Officials point to rising gun incidents in Germany’s BKA data and more than 600,000 stolen or lost firearms across the EU as evidence of enforcement gaps.
- The plan targets the spread of 3D‑printed weapons without serial numbers and adds a push for stronger cross‑border cooperation against smuggling, while leaving legal trade untouched.
- The Commission describes the move as preparation for possible post‑war weapons flows from Ukraine, with supportive voices in Parliament signaling intent to advance the file.