TRAVELLING ABROAD - the document saga -

The biggest challenge is lack of clear information. I really would not want to end up in a German, French, Dutch or other European penitentiary because I have firearms without the correct paperwork.

Now that we are non EU citizens, our FACs etc are not given any form equivalence or formal recognition like the EFP had. We are now in the same boat that visitors to the UK, both EU and non EU have always had, with the need to get a visitors firearms permit of some description. Some EU states I am sure will issue these at the Border, others will not.

And as regards Shengen area, whilst this does make it easy to move around, many of the Shengen countries have very different attitudes towards firearms and what and is and isn't allowed. So for example in the Czech republic you can get a concealed carry permit and carry a handgun for self defence purposes. Whereas in the Netherlands, hunting is very restricted along with tight restrictions on Firearms.
 
From the French Customs website (Google translation ) - Vous rƩsidez dans un pays tiers Ơ l'UE et voyagez en France avec des armes

"Who is affected by this process? Any hunter or sports shooter who resides in a country outside the European Union and who wishes to travel to France with weapons.

What are the conditions for benefiting from the exemption from AIMG? In general, firearms and their rimfire components listed in 1 Ā° and 2 Ā° of category C are exempt from AIMG. If you are a sports shooter and you participate in an international competition, you can have weapons, their parts and ammunition without limit of quantity. You must be able to present proof of your registration for an official shooting competition indicating the date and place of this competition.

If you are a hunter, you can have two category C hunting weapons and 100 rounds per weapon. You must be able to prove that you are traveling for the purpose of hunting, for example by presenting an invitation to a hunting trip. In both cases, you will have to go to the first customs office at the entrance to the European Union in order to place your weapons under the customs procedure of temporary admission.

What is the procedure to follow if one of these conditions is not met? If you do not meet one of the conditions mentioned above (for example, if you are a hunter and you wish to travel with more than two weapons or if you are a sports shooter but cannot prove your participation in an international competition), you must file a request for authorization for the temporary importation of war material from the General Directorate of Customs and Indirect Duties."
 
I have received this response from Belgium in relation to travel from UK to Germany via Belgium and The Netherlands:

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your question.

For the transit through Flanders, Belgium of a civil firearm from an non-EU country to an EU member state, no document or separate authorization is required from our unit under the condition that there is a valid (UK) export authorization and a valid (German) import authorization, where required under their respective national legislations.

Regards,

Jurist | legal advisor

Vlaamse overheid | Flemish government

DEPARTEMENT KANSELARIJ en BUITENLANDSE ZAKEN | Department of Chancellery and Foreign Affairs
 
You need to be very careful about what a ā€œfriendā€ does. You need to look at the law.

German Guidance is quite clear for a non EU person you need prior authorisation from a Competent Weapons Authority


And the Dutch regs are

His hunting was organised through the Germany forestry service, so I am quite sure they are quite hot on their hunting laws.
He contacted the relevant authority in each country he was to travel through to make sure. as for the , I have just had confirmation from him, that in Netherlands NO licence was required. when he phoned he was told that weapons in transit to other eu states that he had prior hunting booked, did NOT require a paper licence, only if he was staying in the netherlands would one be issued . apparently for traveling through a general licence is all that is required, much the same a general shooting licences here. the worst issues were on the Croatian border where his documents for everything were checked and the car and guns.
 
Disagree, I will trust the Ministers letter, I cannot believe that he will give written advice which goes against the law. We will see in the Autumn when hopefully we start hunting abroad again. Remember these are personal firearms carried by the owner, trade journeys may be totally different.
Im off to France end of the month so will see how it goes, Germany in October but I donā€˜t see issues that others do, regards Wayne
 
Have I ever mentioned we should never have left?
That was pre brexit and a joke the staff have no clue letā€™s see what happens on the 28th august all I see different is I have to book the dog pre crossing as an extra step, the gov website has been updated to show a pet passport is still valid if itā€™s Euro one so all looks good.
 
I once had 100+ units in my car transiting at Dover eastern docks to France and the Folkstone tunnel swat lads were sent over sharpish as Dover spot checkers thought they had found a smuggler. I would guess after say two more years that all parties will have found a way to operate.
 
The response I received from The Netherlands:

Dear Sir/madam,

Every time your traveling through the Netherlands you need a consent/permit to do this legally.

You may ask for a consent/permit with vice versa checked so it will cover the travel back towards the UK.

Hereby the application form what needs to be filled in and send back with the requested attachments.
Application Consent for weapons and ammunition with an Annex to question 7 (Model WM 18 c)

The needed attachments to complete the above request of the consent,

- Your personal passport / ID
- A Fire arms license to show that you may carry the weapon(s) in your country
- A travel schedule with dates
- The invitation of hunting or sportshooting from the land or company of destination

You can send all these files by e-mail as well to the e-mail address: CDIU@douane.nl

Kind regards,

KornƩ Dekker
.....................................................................................................................
Douane/Groningen/team Centrale Dienst voor In- en Uitvoer
Postbus 3070
6401 DN Heerlen
Bezoekadres: Kempkensberg 12 Groningen
.....................................................................................................................
Telefoon: 088-1512122
Mail: CDIU@douane.nl
Website: Douane
 
27 applications to fill in then? :banghead:
The EU countries are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
 
27 applications to fill in then? :banghead:
The EU countries are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
But sensationalist, you only apply to the countries you visit and who ask for it, we already know France and Croatia don't and probably several more, but nevertheless that's handy information as I do transit the Netherlands occaisionally
 
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Sensationalist I would never describe myself as.
I am just observing that the new order that the UK overwhelmingly voted for has brought itself a bucket of bumph to be worked around for European sporting travel. Nothing more.
 
Sensationalist I would never describe myself as.
I am just observing that the new order that the UK overwhelmingly voted for has brought itself a bucket of bumph to be worked around for European sporting travel. Nothing more.
Its certainly a pain. Hopefully a smoother solution will arrive before too long.
 
Sensationalist I would never describe myself as.
I am just observing that the new order that the UK overwhelmingly voted for has brought itself a bucket of bumph to be worked around for European sporting travel. Nothing more.
I wouldnā€™t say overwhelmingly voted - it was a pretty marginal result, and that subsequently the courts that the Vote Leave had misled the electorate and they were fined and paid their fine. And the courts also found it was only an advisory referendum.

We were of course promised an oven ready deal with full and frictionless free trade and that a bonfire of red tape would happen. Instead we have the complete opposite - as to be expected.
 
Iā€™ll be travelling to Finland to a moose hunt at the end of October. I have applied for a finish personal import license for my gun (Merkel .30-06 O/U double rifle). Glad that I wonā€™t apply for an export license from the UK!
Apparently, the finish hunting authorities also want to see proof that Iā€™m allowed to hunt moose (or equivalent) in the UK too. Apparently a letter from a hunting organisation or the police will do the trick. Has anyone every applied for anything like this before? Would the FO, BASC or BDS write such a letter?
 
I wouldnā€™t say overwhelmingly voted - it was a pretty marginal result, and that subsequently the courts that the Vote Leave had misled the electorate and they were fined and paid their fine. And the courts also found it was only an advisory referendum.

We were of course promised an oven ready deal with full and frictionless free trade and that a bonfire of red tape would happen. Instead we have the complete opposite - as to be expected.
Overwhelmingly as in they won.
 
Sensationalist I would never describe myself as.
I am just observing that the new order that the UK overwhelmingly voted for has brought itself a bucket of bumph to be worked around for European sporting travel. Nothing more.
I know this may not be what some want to hear but Iā€™ve been shooting in Europe for a fair while and stopped taking my own rifle a good while ago and encourage friends visiting to stalk to do likewise.

My rational is this - I couldnā€™t be bothered with the extra hassle at the airport on the inevitable early morning flight along with additional cost when Iā€™d much rather relax in the lounge with a meal or beer and the fact that, providing the rifle you use is zeroā€™d, you can test fire it and you know the ballistics, Iā€™m yet to find one of the many combinations Iā€™ve used that doesnā€™t do what it says on the tin.

Maybe Iā€™m just easily pleased or donā€™t care what I pull the trigger on as dead is dead, although I do realise that you may not be able to have a rifle provided by the host on every occasion in which case Iā€™d just sigh and do any relevant paperwork just like I would have to do if I travelled to Africa or elsewhere out with the precious EU.
 
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