Citation(s) from the GunPolicy.org literature library
Latvia. 2020 ‘International Transfers.’ National Report of Latvia on its Implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA); Section 3, p. 6-9. New York NY: Permanent Mission of Latvia to the United Nations. 1 January
Relevant contents
Laws, regulations and administrative procedures
3.1. Does your country have laws, regulations or administrative procedures to exercise effective control over the export, import, transit or retransfer of SALW?
3.1.1. List laws, regulations or administrative procedures to exercise effective control over the export, import, transit or retransfer of SALW.
Since April 10, 2019 the Law on Circulation of Weapons and Special Means (December 27, 2011) has been replaced by Law on Circulation of Weapons. The Law fully implements the norms of the European Parliament and Council Directive 2017/853/EU of 17 May, 2017 amending the European Union (EU)Council Directive 91/477/EEC on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons. Provisions regarding definition of firearms, making as well as tracing of weapons, are transposed by the Law. The Law sets norms for acquisition, possession, carriage and use of weapons; collection of weapons and munitions; regulates shooting sports and training; civil control over the weapons owned by the Police and the Armed Forces; rights of other nationals, diplomats and foreign security services to carry weapons; transferring arms and ammunition across the State borders; licensing of weapons, as well as manufacturers and brokers; marking and certification of weapons; trade in weapons, munitions, explosives and pyrotechnic products; restrictions on acquisition, possession and carriage of weapons; manufacturing (repairs) of weapons, munitions, explosives and pyrotechnic products.
Law on the Circulation of Goods of Strategic Significance (July 19, 2007).
The Law was introduced to ensure control over circulation of strategic goods in accordance with national and international requirements regarding their export, import, transfer and transit. The Law defines division of authority among institutions involved in controlling strategic goods, their responsibilities and cooperation; the competency of Strategic Goods Control Committee in assessing license applications as well as sets; the competency of Strategic Goods Control Committee in assessing license applications as well as sets examination and identification procedures for certain goods.
Law on International Sanctions and National Sanctions of the Republic of Latvia (March 1, 2016).
The sanctions imposed by the United Nations or the European Union are implemented in Latvia by Regulations of the EU or the Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia. The Cabinet of Ministers has a broad authority to determine necessary measures for implementing the sanctions in the Republic of Latvia.The sanctions may be implemented by applying any of the three types of implementation measures recognized by the Law, i.e., financial restrictions, transaction (contractual) restrictions and travel restrictions. Law on Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (June 11, 2004). The Law brings into effect the Protocol in the Republic of Latvia.
Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 210 - Regulations Regarding Weapons and Ammunition Circulation (June 15, 2019). The Regulation sets procedures for legal and individual persons for purchase, register, storage, transfer, transport, use of weapons, ammunition, their spare parts, as well as gas pistols and pneumatic guns.
Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 536 - Handling of Weapons, Ammunition and Special Means (November 19, 2019). The Regulation establishes procedures for merchants for manufacturing, purchasing, registering, storing, transferring, transporting, importing, exporting, using and repairing weapons, ammunition, and special means, as well as spare parts of weapons and ammunition
Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No.182 - Marking of Weapons and Ammunition (April 30, 2019). The Regulations also establishes procedures for marking of weapons, ammunition etc.
Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No.188 – Regulations on Issuing Licenses for Commercial Activity concerned with Arms, Ammunition and Special Means. The Regulations stipulates norms for arms brokers concerning license acquiring, license renewal etc. (Currently no arms broker licenses have been issued by the State Police in the Republic of Latvia.)
Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No.657 - Procedures by Which Licenses and Other Documents of the Control of Strategic Goods Are Issued or Denied (July 20, 2010). The regulation sets procedures for issuance, denial or annulment of import, export, transfer or transit licenses of military or dual use goods, as well as of end use certificates, international import certificates and delivery verification.
It also contains provisions set out in the EU Council Regulation 428/2009 and the EU Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP. The regulation has been amended in 2012 in order to implement the provisions of the European Parliament and Council Directive 2009/43/EC and the European Commission Directive 2010/80/EU.
Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No.656 - Regulations on Duties for Issuing of export certificates, end use certificates, international import certificates, delivery verification and import, export, transfer or transit licenses (July 20, 2010). The regulations set the rates of duties for each type of document as well as determines procedure for them to be paid.
Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 866 - Regulation on the Control Committee of Strategic Goods (August 4, 2009). The regulations determine functions and responsibilities of the Committee.
Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 495 - Regulations on Requirements to be met on Issuing, Suspending and Annulling Prior Consent Documents for the Movement of Firearms, Ammunition or Explosives between European Union Member States. The Regulations provide the list of documents which must be submitted to the State Police or the Ministry of Defense by an individual person or a legal entity involved in strategic goods circulation, in order to obtain documents of approval for transfer of firearms and ammunition in the territory of EU Member states. The regulations also set out procedures by which documents are issued. The regulations contain norms of the EU Council Directive 91/477/EEC of June 18, 1991 on Control of the acquisition and possession of weapons and Council Directive 2014/28/EU of February 26, 2014 on the harmonization of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market and supervision of explosives for civil uses (recast) Text with EEA relevance
Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 645. Regulations on The National List of Goods and Services of Strategic Significance (September 25, 2007). The regulations provide the list of goods to be controlled in addition to those included in the EU Council Regulation 428/2009 and the EU Common Military List. According to current regulations, the list is approved by government, contrary to the previous procedure by which the Strategic Goods Control Committee held the authority.
Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No.117. Procedures for Categorization of Weapons, Munitions by the State police (June 1, 2019).
The Code for Administrative Violations: Article 181. - Violation of the Procedures for the Circulation of Weapons, Munitions, Special Devices and Pyrotechnic Products. Article 201.10 - Violation of the Regulations regarding the Performance of the Customs Regime. Article 183. - Violation of the Regulations Regarding Commercial Handling of Weapons, Munitions, Special Devices, Explosives, Explosive Devices, and Pyrotechnic Products.
The Criminal Law: Article 233 - Unauthorized manufacture, repair, acquisition, storage, carrying, transportation, conveyance and sale of ammunition, high-powered pneumatic weapons, explosives and explosive devices, and violation of selling regulations. Article 236 - Unauthorized Storage, Carrying, Transportation and Forwarding of Firearms, Essential Components of Firearms, Firearm Ammunition, High-powered Pneumatic Weapons, Explosives and Explosive Devices, by Violating Laws and Regulations. Article 237 - Violation of the Conditions or Procedures for the Use or Utilization of Firearms and High-powered Pneumatic Weapons, and Violation of the Procedures for Utilization of Explosives or Explosive Devices. Article 237.1 - Violation of the Provisions for the Circulation of Goods of Strategic Significance. The State Border Guard Order No. 1298 (26 September 2016) on the Provisions for the Circulation of Arms in the State Border Guard, which provide the methodological guidelines for the safekeeping of the keys of armories and armory cabinets as well as for the circulation of arms under emergency circumstances during
a temporary absence of the designated officer in charge at the State Border Guard central or regional headquarters.
The State Border Guard Internal Regulation No. 27 (12 October 2017) on the Circulation of Arms during International Events, which provide the rules for transporting the arms of the State Border Guard and the State Border Guard College for the participation in international events outside of the territory of the Republic of Latvia.
[SALW = Small Arms and Light Weapons]