The European Firearms Pass (EFP) is a locally issued firearms licence in a common format that allows citizens of the European Union (EU) to travel with one or more firearm(s) mentioned on the licence from one member state to another. For certain purposes other documentation may be required, depending on the current states' laws and the reason for the movement; a transfer may be temporary (for a competition) or permanent (on a sale).[1][2] An applicant for an EFP must already hold a licence from the member state in which he/she holds the firearm.
The EFP is required by and benefits:
The EFP extends the "Four Freedoms" to the EU's licensed sports shooters, gun collectors and dealers.
The United Kingdom does not accept the EFP without an accompanying UK Visitors Pass which must be requested in advance. The UK Visitors pass is only valid for one year and an EFP does not allow the importation of firearms that are legal in the visitor's home country but prohibited in the UK (e.g. handguns, centerfire semi-automatic rifles).
The European Firearms Pass was first introduced in the European Firearms Directive of 1991.[3] The amending directive 2008/51/EC was approved in May 2008 and member states' laws had to comply with it by 28 July 2010.[4]
