Explosives

Royal Decree amending the Royal Decree of 23 September 1958 establishing general regulations on the manufacture, storage, possession, distribution, transport, and use of explosive products

The main objective of this draft decree is:

- to eliminate the public inquiry required as part of the authorisation application procedure, as stipulated by the 1958 Royal Decree, for any manufacture or storage facility for explosives;
- to establish that no authorisation is required for workshops manually loading safety cartridges for portable firearms, as well as for explosive storage facilities necessary for this loading, when located in a private residence and provided that certain conditions are met;
- to classify as second-class the workshops for manually loading safety cartridges for small arms, as well as the depots of explosives necessary for loading, when established at a shooting range or within a recognised association engaged in historical, folkloric, traditional, or educational activities, provided certain conditions are met;
- to eliminate the requirement for gunsmiths to obtain authorisation for the possession and sale of safety cartridges for small arms, subject to compliance with certain conditions;
- to regulate the possession, storage, and transport by private individuals of gunpowder, primers, and safety fuses, which are explosives for civilian use;
- to update Article 68 of the Royal Decree of 23 September 1958, to allow for an exemption from transport authorisation in certain specific cases;
- to allow any economic operator in the EEA to submit an application for authorisation to transport explosives within Belgian territory