The Foundation for European Societies of Arms Collectors (Fesac) recently held its annual gathering of country delegates, observers and consultants in Terni, Italy. The conference was followed by a seminar attended by high-profile guests who delivered a series of incisive reports on current arms legislation in Italy.
The event was hosted by the Italian affiliate 'Amici del Museo delle Armi Terni' (AMAT), whose president Guido Pesce and fellow council members were responsible for the entire organisation of the programme, spread over four days.
The delegates' conference was presided over by Fesac chairman Stephen Petroni. Delegates from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, UK, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway and Romania were also present.
Malta was represented by Harold Farrugia, committee member of the local Fesac affiliate, the Association of Maltese Arms Collectors and Shooters (AMACS). Mr Farrugia read a report on Malta's arms legislation and current efforts to update it. The meeting was concluded with the election of board officials.
Stephen Petroni (Malta), Albrecht Simon (Germany) and Pit Kaiser (Luxembourg) were re-appointed president, vice-president and treasurer respectively, while Hanny Papendorp-Spruijt (The Netherlands) was appointed secretary.
Delegates and guests attended the Fesac seminar entitled 'The European directive on firearms and its relevance to Italian law'.
Representatives of political, administrative, military, law enforcement and cultural institutions presented their views on the transposition of the EU arms directive amendments into Italian law and the difficulties created by the archaic nature of the latter.
Guest speakers included the deputy mayor of Terni, Feliciano Polli, MEP and president of the parliamentary intergroup Luciano Rossi, director of the Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo Luigina Di Mattia, police vice superintendent and representative of the Ministry of the Interior Pierluigi Borgioni, former prosecutor of Perugia and arms expert Nicola Miriano, judge and legal adviser to Arms and Ammunition Biagio Mazzeo, and MEP on the EU directive and Italy's role in arms commerce Catiuscia Marini.
Obrist Ernfried, president of the Italian Target Shooting Federation, was presented with a commemorative plaque of the anniversary of the historical Carcano Model 1891 rifle first produced in Terni.
The seminar tackled the complexity of Italy's many laws and circulars that affect its arms collectors. While the EU arms directive grants collectors a special status by exempting them from its provisions, Italian law severely restricts them and imposes unnecessary and irreversible damage on collector arms. Therefore, the seminar highlighted the need for change in legislation to recognise collectors' important role in society.
Mr Petroni re-affirmed the commitment with which serious enthusiasts pursue arms collecting and research, making them curators of common historical heritage - at a par with curators of national collections.
The successful programme was concluded with a treat for delegates and guests as they were taken on visits to sites of interest in Terni. The groups visited the magnificent arms collection at the Italian Army's 'Polo di manutenzione armi leggeri', formerly the state Fabrica d'armi di Terni, where they were greeted by Commander Col. Morlino in the presence of Lieutenant General Antonio Gucciardino, director of the Land Armaments General Directorate.
Mr Petroni expressed the foundation's support for AMAT's efforts to open up the collection as a public museum.
Participants also visited a 100-metre range in the captivating scenery of the Marmore, where they had the opportunity to shoot World War I and World War II military rifles from the personal collections of Aldo Chiapparino, Aldebrano Micheli, Mario Gasbarri and AMAT chief executive officer Adriano Simoni. They were later presented with a certificate of participation.
Commemorative postcards with special cancellation stamps were issued for the occasion, which came to an end with the traditional dinner.