In the context of the fight against terrorism, the government has implemented new rules limiting public access to explosive substances that may be used in the manufacture of homemade explosives.
The new law is part of a harmonisation effort under EU regulations whose objective is to limit the availability, introduction, possession and use of identified explosive substances to the general public and to ensure that suspicious transactions at any stage of the supply chain are duly reported.
Under the new law, seven chemical substances are now banned from retail sales beyond a certain concentration, while eleven other substances require the seller to report suspicious sales transactions.
The Grand-Ducal Police is designated as the national contact point for explosive substances. Stores and businesses selling or storing relevant chemicals are required to report suspicious transactions and any theft or disappearance of these substances.
A suspicious transaction may arise, for example, in the sale of unusual quantities of substances considered to be precursors of explosives, the refusal to reveal one's identity at the time of purchase or an insistence on paying cash on a transaction of significant value.
With a view to raising awareness among retailers and dealers about the reporting and prohibition of the sale of explosives precursors to the general public, the High Commission for National Protection and the Ministry of Economy are working with the Chambers of Commerce and Industry and various federations of the sector to raise awareness and to inform their nationals in this matter.
