Finland: Act on the Marketing and Use of Explosives Precursors to enter into force on 1 February 2021

NordenBladet — The new Act on the Marketing and Use of Explosives Precursors will place further restrictions on consumer access to certain explosives precursors. The Government submitted the bill for approval on Thursday 14 January. The President of the Republic is to approve the bill on 15 January.

The Act will lay down national provisions on the marketing and use of explosives precursors and repeal the current act on the marketing and use of explosives precursors. National provisions will supplement the relevant Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

The new Act contains certain clarifications required by the EU Regulation. For example, consumers will no longer be able to obtain specific chlorates and perchlorates in certain concentrations. Sulphuric acid in a certain concentration will also be subject to a licence.

In addition, more thorough background checks will be carried out on licence applicants in future. The related provisions will be added to the Criminal Records Act and to the Act on the Storage of Information Extracted from the Criminal Records and on the Disclosure of Such Information between Finland and Other Member States of the European Union.

The new Act and the related provisions will enter into force on 1 February 2021 when the application of the EU Regulation begins.