Author: UKAPU News Desk

EU Proposal 2015/0269 to amend the firearms directive.

Usual note- 1.this legal issue is not connected to the Policing and Crime Bill, it is a separate legal issue. 2. We are fully affected by firearms directive changes as we’re still in the EU and will still be in the EU when (if) a revised directive is implemented. 3. We, the European airsoft community, have gained astonishing ground (12 months ago this proposal was bringing the end of our hobby, the ban of airsoft replicas in Europe, full stop) but this situation is still not over, not at all.

Our parent federation European Airsoft Association has not heard any bad news about airsoft from the trilogue process. Hopefully that means airsoft, replicas and BFGs are still in the clear, as per the amendments from the European parliament which the EAA helped write (some of which was based on feedback from UKAPU members via UKAPU actually).

The trilogues were held last month but it seems that there is still little agreement between the Parliament, Commision and Council. The parliament vote (on the final draft) which was scheduled for November 22nd is suspended. A new date has yet to be set.

There are other talks going on about de-acts and firearms and the EAA will send representatives for airsoft where required.

Catch up on the history of Proposal 2015/0269 here http://www.ukapu.org.uk/category/legal-issues/eu-firearms-directive/

Matt Furey-King,

Chair UKAPU

Our 2016 AGM & Members Game has been announced! We have a CQB site for sole use. What’s stopping you from coming? Open to all UKAPU Members!

On the 26th October the House of Lords whole house committee discussed the Policing and Crime Bill. We’ve been over the Hansards record of the discussion and neither airsoft nor the lethal threshold came up (it’s a huge and far reaching bill- airsoft is a tiny part of it). The Lords committee will continue on the 2nd of November and the 9th of November. We’ll keep an eye on it, we have been told to expect further discussion around the airsoft exception. UKAPU and UKARA are still engaged with the government on this, we’ve got big concerns about the Bill as it stands. Stay tuned and make sure your freinds know that the law on airsoft is changing in England, Wales and Scotland. When it becomes law in early 2017 we will all have to make sure we are compliant and law abiding.

Matt Furey-King

Chair UKAPU

UK airsoft social network AN is now open for business!

Activity

Yearly UKAPU members meet at Strikeforce CQB in Gloucester. Site opens at 9am for a 10am start. Parking instructions coming soon! Open for UKAPU members only, join for free @ http://ukapu.org.uk. £30 per person paid on the day. Games until about 4pm with AGM meeting after.

Remember, the AGM is coming up so drop the page a message if you wish to stand for a committee position or add an item to the agenda. It’s almost certainly my last term as Chair and I am absolutely determined to see at least one female on the UKAPU general committee during my time in office. We’ve been running the association for 7 years without one female volunteer coming to light and frankly it bothers me, it needs putting right. If you know a female player who might be interested in helping us secure the future of airsoft then please ask them to message the page.

Matt

Once again from UKAPU we are sorry for any delays

lee

Airsoft social network Airsoft Nation is launching on Friday, so make sure you sign up, help it set off with a bang! Fact of the matter is, Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t like firearms (although always has an armed protection team with him- I guess he just doesn’t like us having firearms) and he equally hates airsoft. We’ve been seeing more and more firearms and airsoft content being deleted by Facebook this year, I suspect we are creeping towards a full ban. Facebook don’t answer to anyone, its a private company driven by one individuals ideology, so we can’t fight it.

So, Airsoft Nation isn’t simply a tool dedicated to helping the airsoft community organise and play (I’m particularly intereted in how it can be used finding sites and game days, which I find is a pain sometimes). But AN is also a secure platform that could save us from decline and isolation when Facebook pulls the rug out. So go create a profile and get it rolling!

Matt

A heads up for those currently waiting for patches, more are on the way and our hard working registrar is battling against the backlog of hundreds that joined in a flood due to recent events.

On Wednesday the UKAPU had their monthly management meeting. To view the minutes from the meeting please follow the link below.

http://www.ukapu.org.uk/oct16minutes/