The manufacturing, importing and selling of sport and shot guns are totally legal business activities in Spain, according to the currently applicable Regulation of Arms  approved by the Real Decreto (Royal Decree) 137/1993, January 29th.

The aforementioned Regulation makes the obtaining of an arms licence compulsory. The legal procedure involved in the application for the licence in question is the most restrictive and demanding in the whole EU.

The arms licence issued by the "Guardia Civil" is required for using sport and shooting guns.

Applicants for the arms licence type E, necessary for using shotguns, will only obtain it if they meet the requirements below:

· Having no criminal record.

· Doing any of the sports for which the use of shotguns is needed.

· Passing of the psychophysical test.

· Passing of the theory part of the examination mentioned above, proving knowledge of the arm and of the regulations in force (Regulation of Arms).

· Passing of the practical arm-handling test.

No other country in the EU requires the passing of these examinations.

          Austria
Austrian legislation has adopted the European Union classification. However, pump action guns are forbidden. The permit is for arms category B. Requirements to obtain the permit:

· Similar document to the Certificate of Spanish Criminal Record Certificate.

· Send the application to the Police. If the applicant is a holder of the hunting permit, the delivery of the "Waffenpass" (= firearms permit), is immediate. On the contrary, the applicant should wait for three days to obtain such permit.

          Belgium
A permit is required to use firearms and self-defence guns (military gauge rifles, pistols, guns, semiautomatic arms, pump action). Nevertheless, a semiautomatic arm limited to three shots can be obtained with a hunting permit. Requirements to obtain the permit:

· Absence of criminal record.

· Attendance at an interview in order to check the applicant’s knowledge of legislation of arms and his/her ability to handle them. Should the permit be rejected, the Police are obliged to give reasons.

          France
A permit is required to use pistols, guns, military gauge rifles, semiautomatic shotguns with more than three shots (forbidden in Spain) and shotguns with pump action systems. No permit is required to use the rest of the categories. Requirements to obtain the permit:

· Have been a member of a Shooting Club joined to the French Federation for at least six months.

· Absence of criminal record.

          Italy
A permit is required for all kinds of firearms, which is called "Porto di Armi". No permit will be needed in future for muzzleloader arms with only one shot neither for those of compressed air. Requirements to obtain this permit:

· Provide a good reason (to practise hunting, shooting, for reasons of self defence, collection, investigation, etc.)

· Show a medical report.

· Send the application to the "Questura", stating that you are neither an alcoholic nor a drug addict.

            United Kingdom
As it is known, short guns are forbidden in this country as well as semiautomatic and pump action with some exceptions. The rifles’ permit is the "Firearms Certificate". Requirements to obtain this permit:

· Provide a good reason for it.

· Send an application form to the Local Police that deals with these kind of permits.