The EU will present proposals to step-up the control of explosives and fertilisers, which can be used in bomb-making on Tuesday in an effort to boost the 25-nation bloc's fight against terrorism. EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini will present the proposals in London, where bombs on underground trains and a bus on July 7 killed 56 people.
The EU's executive Commission, in a policy paper, urges the tagging of explosives, better security at storage sites and better scrutiny over the transport of explosives. It calls for people dealing in explosives to be obliged to report any suspicious transactions.
Fertilisers which can be used to make bombs should only be sold to authorised people who can prove they are for agricultural use, the paper says. It also says the detectability of certain chemicals should be improved.
British police have found highly-volatile home-made explosives at sites linked to four suspected bombers behind the London attacks. "The Commission believes that all interested parties, in particular the industry, the member states and Europol (the EU police agency) must contribute to improve the security of explosives and firearms," the paper says.
"Policymakers must ensure the security of citizens by reducing and eliminating the possibility of their misuse."
The Commission also expressed concern about military explosives which are often unmarked and harder to detect than those used, for example, in the construction industry.
"The official or parallel trade of surplus military explosives and the extent of involvement of organised crime networks in Europe in illicit transfers are a major cause of concern and must be tackled head-on," the paper says.