On 19 May we will vote on the adoption of the EU weapons directives in Switzerland. The new rules create more control and security in the possession of weapons. This is welcome, because weapons are not toys.
In Switzerland, 200 to 250 people have died annually in recent years as a result of firearms - suicides included. Homicides usually take place within the personal environment. Threats, such as describes a 90-year-old woman to a newspaperare rarely part of the debate. Her husband had repeatedly threatened to shoot her.
She is hardly the only one who has to live in fear of gun violence: 2.3 million firearms are in Swiss households. Every third to fourth inhabitant therefore owns a rifle or pistol. At the same time, the number of members of shooting clubs is dwindling. As a result, many of the existing weapons are not used for work or sport, but are kept in cellar compartments and broom cupboards. In addition, many weapons are not registered. Such unused and unregistered weapons easily end up in the hands of criminals.
The new EU weapons directives, which are to be adopted by Switzerland, require that the possession of weapons be better controlled. The only new thing about this is that semi-automatic weapons, i.e. those that reload cartridges automatically, will in future require a special permit. Sport shooters will only have to prove that they shoot regularly or are members of a shooting club. Anyone who can handle a gun and use it as a piece of sports equipment will not be deprived of the gun - contrary to the claims of opponents of the new guidelines. The Federal Office of Police Fedpol's list shows just how slightly the legal situation for gun owners is being tightened.
| For whom? | Change what? |
| female and male soldierswho want to take over the ordnance weapon directly at the end of their service | Nothing. |
| Owners of semi-automatic weapons with large magazine, which are already listed in a cantonal arms register | Nothing. |
| Owners of former ordnance weaponsthat were taken over directly by the army | Nothing. |
| hunters | Nothing. |
| young shooters | Nothing. |
So what changes for private gun owners? Almost nothing:
- Previously unregistered weapons must be reported subsequently
- Shooters without club membership must be proven to shoot 5 times in 5 years.
- Collectors must be able to prove that the weapon is safely stored and recorded.
Everything else concerns companies, i.e. arms dealers and arms producers. In future, they will have to report all transactions within 20 days or clearly mark manufactured arms parts. Not relevant for hobby shooters and weapon enthusiasts.
In relation to the annual death rate from firearms, the changes are minimal. Unfortunately, this figure is not expected to shrink as a result. The number of weapons in criminal hands and the number of suicides cannot be reduced with this law either. The state is nevertheless obliged to do its utmost to ensure that weapons only fall into the hands of those who can handle them.
Firearms are not toys and those who restrict the availability of weapons save lives. Since the enactment of the Weapons Act in 1998, the number of firearm deaths in Switzerland has fallen. This is a trend that can only be supported.
