FACE (Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the European Union) reported the partial reverse of the European Commission as regards the semi-automatic weapons, defined as "not particularly dangerous". The commissioner Elizabeth Bieńkowska he responded to a parliamentary question, recognizing them as the only weapons that can represent one threat to international security are the automatic ones.
The topic has been debated for some time, not without controversy and this admission could represent a fundamental step forward. To arrive at the change of mind, Brussels looked into the Weapons Directive, underlining how the greatest danger is that of automatic weapons transformed into semi-automatic and then reconverted by criminals for military purposes. FACE welcomed the clarification, reiterating how i semi-automatic rifles used by hunters and by athletes should not be criminalized with excessive measures.
Secondo Philip Sagato, secretary general of the association, the risk of improperly converted weapons has been identified and the problem can be solved by avoiding market introduction and putting aside the stigmatization of hunters. An amendment to the directive has been proposed to correct the anomaly, so re-insert semi-automatic rifles in the list of authorized weapons. Furthermore, the conversion of weapons should be subject to stricter and more careful regulation.