Stop the EU "Explosives Precursors" Regulation – Save Science, Support Research!

Elias Chalwatzis

Petition is addressed to

European Parliament and Council of the European Union

204 Signatures

Collection finished

204 Signatures

Collection finished

Launched June 2025
Collection finished
Submission on the 31 Jul 2025
Dialog with recipient
Decision

Petition is addressed to: European Parliament and Council of the European Union

This law was created to prevent terrorism and save lives — but it fails to do either. It severely restricts access to basic chemicals they are calling "explosives precursors" like nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid, which are essential for science, education, and innovation. These substances are used daily in research labs and classrooms across Europe — but now, students, teachers, and hobbyists face criminal suspicion just for ordering them.

Terrorism is not caused by access to chemicals. It's caused by radicalisation, poverty, and alienation. There is no public data showing that this law has prevented a single attack. Meanwhile, it is doing real damage to European science.

This regulation fights the wrong enemy. It harms the curious, the responsible, and the honest — while doing little to stop those who truly want to cause harm.
Let’s protect public safety without criminalising chemistry. Let scientists be scientists.

Call on the European Union to repeal Regulation (EU) 2019/1148 and replace it with smarter, science-friendly policy that truly addresses the root causes of terrorism.

Reason

This regulation is not just about chemicals. It’s about what kind of society we want the European Union to be. Do we want a society that supports personal freedom, scientific progress, and rational, evidence-based policymaking? One that upholds fundamental values like innocent until proven guilty — and encourages curiosity, learning, and innovation? Or do we want a society that reacts in panic and fear — a society where symbolic laws punish the innocent while doing nothing to stop real threats?

This regulation was passed in response to terrorism, but it is not stopping terrorism. There is no public evidence that it has prevented a single attack. Instead, it is criminalizing students, teachers, and hobby chemists. It is slowing research, harming education, and undermining trust. The cost of this law is far higher than most people realize. And now, the EU is considering expanding it even further. If we stay silent, this damage will grow.

This petition is a call to action — to protect what makes Europe worth defending: its freedom, its reason, its spirit of scientific exploration.

If you believe in these values, please speak up and sign.

This is the regulation: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1148/oj

Here are the results of a previous survey from the EU on the regulation:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/13426-Preventing-terrorism-new-rules-on-the-marketing-and-use-of-high-risk-chemicals/public-consultation_en

Thank you for your support, Elias Chalwatzis, Bensheim

Question to the initiator