Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

United Nations Finalizes Plan to Regulate Ammunition

Monday, June 12, 2023

United Nations Finalizes Plan to Regulate Ammunition

Late into the night on 9 June, 2023 the United Nation’s Open-Ended Working Group on Conventional Ammunition (OEWG) concluded its development of a new global framework to address existing gaps in through-life conventional ammunition management despite the dissociation of the Russian Federation and their bedfellows Belarus. 

Created through General Assembly resolution purporting to address problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus, the OEWG wasted no time in expanding their work since it began in February 2022.  Under the guise of “through-life ammunition management”, universal ammunition serialization, running hand and hand with user registration, quickly became the OEWG’s end goal.  This was evident when the group was established and has continued throughout all four weeks of their discussions, where even the word “stockpile” rarely got mentioned.  After all, even in the specious world of the UN, no-one could argue that a global agreement telling countries to secure their national ammunition stockpiles was necessary.

It is also why the OEWG has been deliberate in leaving any attempts to define its key terms out of the final report.  Similar to the dangers associated with the United Nations’ refusal to define the term “end user”, the OEWG’s purported focus, “conventional ammunition stockpiles”, remains open to interpretation.  This is not a mistake, as it leaves the door open for arguments to be made that even a 25-round box of .22lr constitutes one.

This is also why the work of this group is so concerning, and why NRA-ILA has attended all of their meetings alongside a technical expert from the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturer’s Institute.  Unfortunately, global interest in the dangerous of this group have been minimal, at best, with limited participation from industry and ammunition manufacturers outside of our borders, culminating with zero attendance from any at this final, and most critical of meetings.

Fortunately, an effective delegation from the United States was responsive to many of our recommendations throughout the meetings and was successful in their arguments to water down most of the most egregious provisions contained in each of the five draft reports the OEWG produced.  This included removal of attempts to require “individual” end-user certificates, ensuring any calls to regulate the undefined term “stockpile” were limited to those held at the national level, and for language requiring the marking (serialization) every round of ammunition to be amended into simply something that should be “consider[ed]” for ammunition under national ownership.

These were small victories for the entire international firearms community; however, at the United Nations, this means little.  Unlike our Constitution, the framework that was produced this week is a living document which, once adopted by the General Assembly later this year, can, and will, be modified over time.  Not only will work continue on further restricting its terms during the official and perpetual future OEWG meetings, but arguments will now be made for incorporation and expansion of it and its terms into all of the other United Nations firearms initiatives, including the Programme of Action, Firearms Protocol and Arms Trade Treaty.

Rest assured that even though the global firearms community is largely absent from this fight NRA-ILA recognizes its significance and we will continue to battle to protect your rights in the international arena.

IN THIS ARTICLE
United Nations
TRENDING NOW
North Carolina: Update on Permitless Carry

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

North Carolina: Update on Permitless Carry

Last week the North Carolina General Assembly briefly returned from recess and re-referred Senate Bill 50, Freedom to Carry NC, to the House Rules Committee.

First Affirmative Lawsuit in Support of Gun Owners Filed by Trump’s DOJ

News  

Monday, October 6, 2025

First Affirmative Lawsuit in Support of Gun Owners Filed by Trump’s DOJ

California officials’ egregious foot-dragging over the issuance of carry permits has finally attracted the ire of the federal Department of Justice (DOJ). 

President Trump’s GOP Leads Polling on Crime and Guns, To No Surprise

News  

Monday, October 6, 2025

President Trump’s GOP Leads Polling on Crime and Guns, To No Surprise

A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that Americans know the President Donald Trump-led Republican Party has a better plan than their Democratic Party opponents on crime and gun control.

Federal Court Strikes Down Biden Administration’s “Engaged in the Business” Rule in NRA Case

Thursday, October 2, 2025

Federal Court Strikes Down Biden Administration’s “Engaged in the Business” Rule in NRA Case

Yesterday, in Butler v. Bondi, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama held that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives exceeded its statutory authority by issuing its 2024 Final Rule expanding ...

NRA Files Amicus Brief in Fifth Circuit Case Challenging the Federal Switchblade Act

Friday, October 3, 2025

NRA Files Amicus Brief in Fifth Circuit Case Challenging the Federal Switchblade Act

Yesterday, the National Rifle Association filed an amicus brief in Knife Rights, Inc. v. Bondi, urging the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas’s decision upholding the Federal ...

Trump Administration Repeals Biden Era Firearms Export Crackdown

News  

Monday, October 6, 2025

Trump Administration Repeals Biden Era Firearms Export Crackdown

Last Monday, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) at the U.S. Department of Commerce published a final rule that reversed a crackdown on the commercial export of firearms from the U.S. to other countries.

Trust in Mass Media Craters to New Lows, in Single Digits With Republicans

News  

Monday, October 6, 2025

Trust in Mass Media Craters to New Lows, in Single Digits With Republicans

There’s an old saying that rings especially true to Second Amendment supporters: If you don’t read the news, you’re uninformed.

Alphabet Eases the Reins on Censorship; Will Gun Content Eventually Benefit?

News  

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Alphabet Eases the Reins on Censorship; Will Gun Content Eventually Benefit?

With the free speech debate recently co-opted by one TV host’s use of false and incendiary remarks about his political opponents, it might have been easy to miss another important First Amendment story last week. 

Canada’s Public Safety Minister on Gun Ban & Confiscation: “Don’t Ask Me to Explain the Logic”

News  

Monday, September 29, 2025

Canada’s Public Safety Minister on Gun Ban & Confiscation: “Don’t Ask Me to Explain the Logic”

There have been multiple developments on the Canadian gun grab and ban in the last few days, but the most astounding has got to be a leaked bombshell recording of the Liberal Public Safety Minister, ...

U.S. Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Challenge to Hawaii’s Private Property Default Carry Ban

Friday, October 3, 2025

U.S. Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Challenge to Hawaii’s Private Property Default Carry Ban

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the petition for certiorari in Wolford v. Lopez, a challenge to Hawaii’s law forbidding carry on private property open to the public (such as restaurants, gas stations, and grocery stores) ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.