Finland Drops Objections to EU Firearms Directive
Image: Martti Juntunen/YLE
Finland has stopped opposing moves for changes in the European Union directive on firearms. On Friday the government said that it is ready to accept the proposal by Portugal; the Grand Committee of the Finnish Parliament gave its endorsement to the move. The full Parliament is expected to vote on the matter in the coming weeks.
The turnaround is seen to be linked with the aftermath of the Jokela school massacre.
Under the proposed new EU directive, children under the age of 18 would not be allowed to possess firearms at all.
Under current Finnish law children between 15 and 18 years of age are allowed, with a guardian’s permission, to acquire guns for target shooting or hunting, and to hunt with the gun without adult supervision. YLE