What a no-deal Brexit could mean for travellers to EU

A no-deal Brexit would complicate matters for UK shooters travelling to European Union countries after 29 March 2019, according to a Home

Office statement.

Instead of simply producing a valid European firearms permit (EFP) when visiting EU countries with a firearm or shotgun, travellers would need to comply with the individual licensing requirements of each country they are planning to visit.

As the requirements of each country may vary widely, the advice is to plan well ahead. UK residents planning to travel with their gun should contact the authorities of the EU countries concerned for information about their specific licensing requirements. This advice also applies if a UK resident will be in an EU country with their firearm when the UK leaves the EU.

The full Home Office guidance on the issue can be read at po.st/euwithgun. Sporting estates in Scotland may require planning permission to create new vehicle tracks after a report called for the withdrawal of permitted development rights for agricultural tracks.

Agricultural tracks currently don’t require planning permission, but the Changing Track report, published by Scottish Environmental LINK’S Hilltracks group, claims that some tracks being built under this exemption are there to support fieldsports, which aren’t classed as agriculture and therefore should not qualify for the exemption.

The report coincides with an amendment to the new Planning Bill — currently going through the Scottish Parliament — that would remove the exemption for land where fieldsports take place.

Have case, will travel... Or not, if we leave the EU with no Brexit deal