The Council has just adopted two important priority files under the Security Union which strengthen EU rules on explosives precursors and facilitate law-enforcement access to financial information.
While the EU already has strict rules in place on access to chemical substances that can be used to produce homemade explosives, the new Regulation will:
- Ban additional substances including sulphuric acid, and ammonium nitrate.
- Strengthen licensing and screening so that national authorities are required to carry out a more in-depth check on members of the public wishing to purchase restricted substances.
The new measures for cross-border access to financial information by law enforcement authorities will:
- Ensure timely access to information by Law Enforcement Authorities, Asset Recovery Offices (AROs) and anti-corruption authorities, who will soon have direct access to bank account information.
- Ensure greater cooperation between national law enforcement, Europol and Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs),
- Maintain strong data protection safeguards at the same time.
The strengthened rules on explosive precursors will become effective 18 months after being published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Member States will have also two years to transpose the new measures facilitating access to financial information into their national laws.
For more information
- Full press release IP/19/3003 – Security Union: The EU strengthens rules on home-made explosives and fight against terrorist financing
- Press Release IP/19/2158 – Security Union: Commission welcomes adoption of new measures denying terrorists and criminals the means and space to act
- Press Release IP/19/1049 – Security Union: Commission welcomes the agreement on enhanced rules to fight terrorist financing
Details
- Publication date
- 14 June 2019