Firearms regulation in France
In 1563, King Charles IX of France made an address to the Rouen parliament about forbidding firearms in which he made the following statement: D'auantage cõsiderant que les meurtres, volleries, assassinats, & autres entreprinses, qui troublent le commun repos de nosdicts subects, s'exercent plus par les armes à feu, que nuls aultres : Défendons tresestroictement sur mesmes peines à toutes personnes, de quelque estat, dignité & qualité qu'ils soyent, porter ne faire porter par leurs gens & seruiteurs dedans les villes, ne par les champs, aucune hacquebute, pistolle ne pistolet, ne d'icelles tirer: sinon (...).[1]Considering that murders, robberies, killings & other enterprises, which disturb regularly the rest of our subjects, are more caused by firearms than any others: we forbid very strictly with the same punishment for everyone, of any state, dignity & quality they may be, to carry or have carried by their people & servitors neither within any town, nor in the countryside, any hacquebute, pistol nor pistolet, nor to use them: except (...)[clarification needed]Gun ownership was restricted until the Farcy law (Loi Farcy) of 1885, which liberalized gun ownership and production.Exceptions exist for children and teenagers with a shooting or clay pigeon license and parental approval.Individuals between the ages of 16 and 18 who have a shooting, hunting, or clay pigeon license can own C and D-categorized weapons.Hunting, collector, and clay pigeon licenses only allow the transportation of D- and C-categorized weapons.