Speech of German Association of Manufacturers of Sporting and Hunting Firearms and Ammunition Managing Director, Mr. Klaus Gotzen. 

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

I am Klaus Gotzen, the Managing Director of the German association of manufactures of Sporting and Hunting Firearms and ammunition.

I am not here to represent military weapons, I represent the German manufacturers of sporting and hunting firearms. Civilian guns have nothing to do with military armaments. Approximately 60% of the firearms in the world are legally owned by civilians and in the hands of responsible owners pose no risk to the general public.

We regret that there is still no clear definition of the so called “small arms” and we therefore request the UN to expressly exempt sporting and hunting-weapons from the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), the Program of Action (POA) and all other relevant regulations. To be successful, regulations must be clear and .focused on the problem caused by illegal weapons. Civilian firearms should not be within the scope of those regulations.

Mr. Chairman, we have in Germany completely implemented the European Firearms directive, based on the UN Firearms protocol. We have a technologically advanced marking system for firearms made in Germany.

We have the expertise on marking and tracing and we offer to cooperate onpractical and relevant solutions to real problems.

However, I do not see any necessity for further restrictions and regulations.

Thank You.

For further information contact Klaus Gotzen kgotzen@invest.de

Here you can find the original text>>