#Romania2019.eu /EU consolidates rules on marketing, use of explosive precursors

The European Council on Friday adopted a regulation imposing stricter rules regarding the marketing and use of explosive precursors throughout the EU, with a view to limiting their availability to the general public and ensuring the appropriate reporting of suspicious transactions throughout the supply chain, according to a press statement posted on the European Council website.

Explosive precursors are chemical substances that can be used for legitimate purposes, but can also be misused for the illicit manufacture of homemade explosives. The new rules will limit the availability of explosive precursors to the general public and ensure the appropriate reporting of suspicious transactions throughout the supply chain, especially by business operators.

"These new rules introduce further restrictions for the members of the general public to obtaining access to chemical substances that can be used for the production of home-made explosives. The purpose is to prevent the illicit manufacture of explosives, given the evolving threat to public security caused by terrorism and other serious criminal activities. We take the security of our citizens very seriously," according to Romania's Economy Minister Niculae Badalau.

The regulation provides for two distinct categories of explosive precursors: "restricted", which cannot be made available, introduced, possessed or used by members of the general public, and "regulated," for which suspicious transactions should be reported by business operators.

Subject to the conditions set out in the regulation, member states retain the possibility of setting up licensing schemes, which would enable some restricted explosive precursors below certain concentration limits to continue to be made available to the general public. Also subject to control by the European Commission, member states will also be able to apply the rules relating to restricted explosive precursors to chemical substances not covered by the regulation.

The new rules also impose a number of training and awareness-raising obligations on: business operators engaging in the manufacturing or selling explosive precursors, and national inspection authorities.

The regulation will start applying eighteen months after its entry into force