From: timothy.smith1@att.net
Date: Sun Feb 12 2006 - 21:53:45 PST
Below is a copy of an email to a friend of mine, received from HIS friend in France...
Roger,
This is indeed true and quite worrisome. I spent the week-end at the Paric Antic Car Show and talked with the President of FFVE, the French Federation of Historic Vehicles. This Federation consolidates the 950 historical vehicles (military and civilian) clubs, which represents 15000 collectors. The MVCG (Military Vehicle Collector Group) mentioned in your email is part of the FFVE. The FFVE President is in direct contact with French authorities to address this issue.
Here is the story
A recently enacted law (Nov 2005), called "loi sur la securite interieure" (i.e. interior security law) has organized weapons into 8 groups; from group 8 (collector and historical neutralized arms) to group 1 (missiles and modern military weapons). For reasons still unknown to us, all military vehicles (land, air, sea) are in group 2. This includes, as mentioned in your email, any land vehicle designed for military use (i.e. GMC, Dodge, Jeep, but also Hummers, ...).
French law requires any one who wants to own a group 2 weapon (i.e. 38 or 45 hand guns, rifles,...) to file a demand with the Law Enforcement Authorities. Authorizations are very seldom granted and now most fire arms users join shooting range clubs where they find guns for rent. It is likely that obtaining an Authorization to own a half-track, but also a jeep, will be quite difficult. If authorization is not granted by the end of October 2006, the vehicle must be sold to someone who has the authorization, or turned down to French authorities for destruction.
When the law was initially drafted, it stated that MV could not be used in public roads, except during special cerimonies, with police escort. Fortunately, the FFVE got this issue resolved. But the following requirements remained:
- all vehicles must be kept locked in a secure garage (i.e. no parking in the street unattended)
- extra measures must be taken to prevent anyone starting the vehicle (simple ignition key is not enough)
This law is currently legally challenged by the FFVE, but that's what they have been doing for the last two years with little success. If no resolution is found within the next few months, all our vehicles could end up in museums (sale value close to nothing) or destroyed. The law limits export and import transaction, so selling to a foreign buyer is hardly an option.
This is not good news and we all wait for a law reversal with anxiety. I will let you know more about it.
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