Mandatory license to buy substances used to make explosives

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The law creates a license system so that individuals can bring into Spain, acquire, possess or use restricted explosive precursors, such as hydrogen peroxide or ammonium nitrate. The license lasts at most one year and is granted by the Secretaría de Estado de Seguridad (State Secretary for Security).
2. To grant the license, several criminal records are checked, and it can be denied if the applicant does not prove a legitimate interest or there are doubts about the intended use. The maximum deadline to decide is three months, and if there is no answer, the application is deemed denied.
3. Individuals and economic operators must report theft or disappearance of these substances to the national contact point within a maximum of forty-eight hours. For individuals, this duty will not be enforced until two years after the law is published in the Official State Gazette.
4. Economic operators must record every transaction with data on the customer, the substance, the quantity and the license, and keep that information for five years. They must also report suspicious transactions and may refuse them outright.
5. A penalty system is set up with very serious, serious and minor offenses. Fines range from €601 to €60,000 for economic operators and from €601 to €30,000 for individuals, and activity suspensions or license revocation can be added.
6. The law takes effect one month after its publication in the Official State Gazette, except for the duty of individuals to report theft or disappearance, which takes effect two years after publication.

Who it affects

• Individuals who want to buy, possess or use restricted explosive precursors: They need a prior license, which lasts at most one year, and must report theft or disappearance starting two years after publication.
• Economic operators selling these substances: They must check the license, keep transaction records for five years, and report suspicious transactions, thefts and disappearances.
• The Ministry of the Interior and the security forces: They grant and revoke licenses, inspect operators, and impose penalties depending on how serious the offense is.

Words worth knowing

Precursor de explosivos (explosive precursor)

A chemical substance or mixture that can be used to make explosives illegally, such as hydrogen peroxide or ammonium nitrate.

Operador económico (economic operator)

Any person, company or public entity that offers products or services on the market.

Punto de contacto nacional (national contact point)

The body designated by the State Secretary for Security to receive reports of suspicious transactions and thefts or disappearances.

Número CAS (CAS number)

A registration number that uniquely identifies each chemical substance.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries