EU proposes tighter rules on sale of explosives ingredients

The European Commission today proposed tighter rules on the sale and control of products used in home-made explosives.

The Commission also suggested setting up an EU-wide database for sharing information on lost and stolen explosives, in an attempt to improve security and prevent terrorists from gaining access to such materials.

The proposal was presented by EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini to Home Secretary Charles Clarke in wake of the July 7 bombings in London.

A special meeting of EU justice and interior ministers last week committed to pushing the proposal through by year’s end, as part of a larger EU anti-terror action plan.

Also included in the proposal is a recommendation for setting up an EU network of bomb disposal squads and for issuing tighter controls on the sale of chemical fertilisers – specifically ammonium nitrate – which can be used to make explosives.

“Sadly the terrorist attacks in Madrid and, more recently in London, confirmed the need to do all that is necessary to prevent terrorists, or those who support them, from getting hold of such dangerous material,” Frattini said.

A separate proposal also announced by the EU head office calls on EU governments to improve information exchange, and to allow police to cross borders in pursuit of suspects in countries participating in the EU’s so-called Schengen open borders pact, which allows citizens to travel freely between nations.

More rigorous standards in registration of commercial explosives are also needed, including the reporting of suspicious transactions, according to the plan.

It further recommends EU-wide standards for marking explosives, stronger security constraints for transport and storage, and using technology for detecting, tagging and tracking explosive materials.

The 25 EU governments also agreed to fast-track other anti-terror measures, including tougher money-laundering rules and agreement on retaining telephone and email records.