I have recently asked the Dutch Customs what I would need to visit for couple of days on shooting trip and also transit through Schiphol with a firearm.
They replied as follows:
They replied as follows:
Travel to or through Netherlands with Firearm
- Thread starter daw
- Start date
We have an exemption for foreign sport shooters who arrive and stay in the Netherlands for sportshooting.
For sportshooting in the Netherlands you do not need a consent/permit to import your firearms on Dutch territory as is written in article 41 of the Arms and Ammunition Regulation (Artikel 41 Regeling Wapens en Munitie).
Article 41 Arms and Ammunition Regulation
1 From the prohibition of Article 14, paragraph 1 (Consent/Permit) of the Act, an exemption is granted to marksmen living abroad for the entry or exit of firearms of category III, which are packed in such a way that they cannot be used for immediate use, and up to 1000 cartridges for those firearms together.
2 From the prohibition of Article 22, first paragraph and Article 26, first paragraph, of the Act, sports shooters living abroad are exempted for the transport and possession of firearms and ammunition of category III.
3 The exemption pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 only applies
a. for sport shooters who, according to a written invitation or statement from a Dutch shooting club, are going to practice or have practiced shooting in the Netherlands for a period stated therein and who are authorized in the country of origin to have the firearms or ammunition brought along; (bring an invitation and your complete fire arms license with you)
b. from the second day before up to and including the second day after the period referred to under a.
4 For residents of one of the member states that are members of the European Union, the exemption pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 only applies if they have a European firearms pass issued by the authorities in that Member State on which the weapons are stated.
For sportshooting in the Netherlands you do not need a consent/permit to import your firearms on Dutch territory as is written in article 41 of the Arms and Ammunition Regulation (Artikel 41 Regeling Wapens en Munitie).
Article 41 Arms and Ammunition Regulation
1 From the prohibition of Article 14, paragraph 1 (Consent/Permit) of the Act, an exemption is granted to marksmen living abroad for the entry or exit of firearms of category III, which are packed in such a way that they cannot be used for immediate use, and up to 1000 cartridges for those firearms together.
2 From the prohibition of Article 22, first paragraph and Article 26, first paragraph, of the Act, sports shooters living abroad are exempted for the transport and possession of firearms and ammunition of category III.
3 The exemption pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 only applies
a. for sport shooters who, according to a written invitation or statement from a Dutch shooting club, are going to practice or have practiced shooting in the Netherlands for a period stated therein and who are authorized in the country of origin to have the firearms or ammunition brought along; (bring an invitation and your complete fire arms license with you)
b. from the second day before up to and including the second day after the period referred to under a.
4 For residents of one of the member states that are members of the European Union, the exemption pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 only applies if they have a European firearms pass issued by the authorities in that Member State on which the weapons are stated.
But for flying through the Netherlands you will need a consent/permit to travel through the Netherlands by plane.
Applicationform Consent/Permit
Application Consent for weapons and ammunition with an Annex to question 7 (Model WM 18 c)
With the applicationform we want to receive,
- A copy of your passport/ID
- A copy of your fire arms license
- A copy of your invitation from Germany (or wherever)
- A copy of your flightschedule
You may send the applicationform with the attachments towards us by e-mail: cdiu@douane.nl.
Applicationform Consent/Permit
Application Consent for weapons and ammunition with an Annex to question 7 (Model WM 18 c)
With the applicationform we want to receive,
- A copy of your passport/ID
- A copy of your fire arms license
- A copy of your invitation from Germany (or wherever)
- A copy of your flightschedule
You may send the applicationform with the attachments towards us by e-mail: cdiu@douane.nl.
Might be of interest to someone out there.
All grist to the mill, & saves fruitless searches after being given duff information.
I would think so but send an email to cdiu@douane.nl asking that question. I got a reply within couple of days.
reiver
Well-Known Member
I am flying Newcastle to Zagreb via Amsterdam I n November
I am not sure but think the permit is just for air travel? As it was introduced after Lockerbie!! Just doing my paperwork for Holland at the moment it’s fairly straight forward just have all your requested information before you email it . Mine took about a week last year for approval .
You can ring them as well and there English is better than my Dutch
Reiver
I am not sure but think the permit is just for air travel? As it was introduced after Lockerbie!! Just doing my paperwork for Holland at the moment it’s fairly straight forward just have all your requested information before you email it . Mine took about a week last year for approval .
You can ring them as well and there English is better than my Dutch
Reiver
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Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
Yup you do need this to transit through via car. And you need to specify the exact days you will travel. And you do need to apply a good time in advance.
So gone are the days of being rung up and say get here for boar shoot at the weekend. Get a ferry ticket, through the guns in with your EFP and go.
****ing Cockwombles who dreamed up this whole bloody mess and shambles that we are now all in. We had simple easy systems that allowed us the freedom to do what we wanted. Now we don’t. Thanks.
So gone are the days of being rung up and say get here for boar shoot at the weekend. Get a ferry ticket, through the guns in with your EFP and go.
****ing Cockwombles who dreamed up this whole bloody mess and shambles that we are now all in. We had simple easy systems that allowed us the freedom to do what we wanted. Now we don’t. Thanks.
Cumbrian 1
Well-Known Member
Simply not true, before we left the EU I’ve used KLM to hunt in Romania and you needed the transit permit. Also in Romania the EFP was useless you needed a visitor’s firearm permit.
The EFP did not allow you to travel freely with firearms, you were still subject to the laws of the individual countries.
Jamsie
Well-Known Member
Oh come on Cumbrian. Don't go spoiling Heym's anti - Brexit narrative by quoting such annoying things as facts ...
Jamsie
Cumbrian 1
Well-Known Member
Politics aside the idea that a EFP was a free pass that surpassed any EU country’s sovereign rights was nonsense. Many countries forbid self loading rifles, pistols, sound moderators etc. plus many countries still required that you apply for a temporary permit to import.
In the UK to apply for a visitor’s FAC was just as time consuming if the applicant was from a non eu country.
badmolassesaccident
Well-Known Member
The EFP made it substantially easier in many countries. To deny that, is to deny reality. Although there is plenty of reality denying going on when it comes to the consequences of Brexit.
As a direct example, I enquired about a weekend shooting trip at the Cold Bore range in Denmark. For citizens of EU countries with a EFP, it is easy. The booking and your EFP is your permit. British residents with a UK FAC need to apply for a visitor weapons permit in advance.
Of course, the British FAC holder will also need to apply for a visitor permit for the countries they drive through on the way, eg the Netherlands as per this thread, if they don’t go direct by air.
On the same vein, despite claims that the EU somehow supersedes national authority, EU members have always been able to prohibit certain firearms or components, eg semi-autos or moderators, regardless of if they are on a EFP from some other place which allows them.
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Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
As for all this Sovereignty nonsense, it is now very apparent that this was yet another lie. The pandemic and all the different visa and work visa requirements for each individual European state clearly shows that each state has its own sovereignty and control over its own borders. Always has done always will do.
And as to all the EU directives. These only ever been directives towards best practice. The UK is about the only country that has enshrined all of the directives into UK law, which is what when we left.
And the most part of the whole stand off with the EU is that Westminster is not prepared to agree to equivalence with the EU, even though we have adopted all the EU directives into law so by definition we are equivalent.
All we needed to agree was that both parties would recognise this equivalence and would continue to do so one or other party wanted to change something. In which case appropriate notice would be given and both sides would sit down over coffee and biscuit and decide how with particular little piece.
We would have an open border and easy movement of goods and people. Instead we have cut off our largest export market not just for goods but for services. Services are a major part of the UK economy and providing services means providing people - and we can provide the people to do such services.
So coming back to the FAC and EFP, it would be very easy to agree to allow recognition of the uk FAC as equivalent to other European licences and grant us the EFP. Indeed I believe it was offered to us, but Boris et al turned it down.
Bavarianbrit
Well-Known Member
The UK EFP was not worth the paper it was printed on in respect to the UK situation as the government issued them for travelling in Europe for free, I paid for mine in Germany, but EU citizens arriving at UK ports/airports had to have another level of officialdom ie the UK visitors FAC, total hogwash in my opinion as tracking ownership would have been possible with just their EU paperwork.
Cumbrian 1
Well-Known Member
Thank you for agreeing
Cumbrian 1
Well-Known Member
I will reiterate my point that the EFP did not allow you you to travel to any EU country you wished without restrictions. Many countries required visitors permits, certain weapons are prohibited in certain countries.
Travelling with a rifle and paperwork go hand in hand, it’s a pain but do the homework prior and all is good.
Travelling with a rifle and paperwork go hand in hand, it’s a pain but do the homework prior and all is good.
Cumbrian 1
Well-Known Member
If you can, use a decent travel agent to book flights when travelling with guns. They have a different interface for booking where it is a lot easier to notify carriers. On my tickets the rifle and ammo are actually listed which makes life a lot easier plus if you need to change flights it take the headache out of it especially if you are abroad as they will do it all for you.
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