David Cameron calls for new EU gun curb after Paris attacks
DAVID Cameron will call this week for an EU wide ban on high-powered semi-automatic weapons like those used in last month’s Paris massacre.
David Cameron is calling for an EU wide ban on high-powered semi-automatic weapons
The Prime Minister will make the demand at a European Council meeting where leaders will discuss the EU’s response to the jihadi attack.
Semi-automatics as used by terrorists in the Paris attacks which left 130 people dead are already banned in France.
However investigators believe they may have been smuggled in via Belgium.
There is no border control between the two countries.
Ahead of the meeting, Mr Cameron said: “The horrific terrorist atrocities in Paris underlined the scale of the terrorist threat facing Europe.
“A terrorist threat in one country is a danger to all of us so I believe there is more we must to together to tackle the terrorist threat posed by Daesh (Islamic State). We need to ensure that terrorists do not have the weapons with which they can wreak such tragedy.”
Calls for similar bans in the past have been resisted by some EU countries including the Czech Republic and Finland.
The Prime Minister has asked officials to draw up a package of proposals to tackle the terrorist threat which also include a number of measures to crack down on the illegal trade in firearms to prevent terrorists getting hold of weapons.
The Prime Minister will make the demand at a European Council meeting
The horrific terrorist atrocities in Paris underlined the scale of the terrorist threat facing Europe
Other measures would include greater sharing of ballistics data, a new plan to improve firearms intelligence in the western Balkans and a tougher legislative and enforcement framework and action to take firearms out of circulation.
All member states would also be urged to use restrictions and alert systems to prevent terrorist accessing material for explosives.
Officials are also considering other measures to improve data sharing, strengthen border and transport security, tackle extremism online and disrupt terrorist financing.
European leaders are due to discuss terrorism alongside the UK’s EU renegotiation at the meeting on Thursday and Friday.
Anonymous message to ISIS after November Paris attacks
The PM’s demand comes after last month’s Paris massacre
The UK’s demand for new EU membership terms is top of the billing for Thursday’s working dinner when the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, is expected to give an update on the UK’s bilateral talks with all member states and the background technical work going on.
The Prime Minister is then expected to talk leaders through the concerns of the British people in each area and the proposals he has put forward to fix these problems in his letter to Mr Tusk.
Mr Tusk has suggested that leaders should focus on Britain’s plan to stop EU migrants claiming in-work benefits in the UK for four years.
The Prime Minister is expected to emphasise that the level of migration from the EU is a major concern for the British people.
Semi-automatics as used by terrorists in the Paris attacks are already banned in France