Sig Sauer, Heckler & Koch, Glock and Beretta are stepping up in Europe and fighting gun control.

Via New Europe:

The European Commission is meeting fierce resistance from Austria, Germany, France, Italy, and several eastern European states in its attempt to ban the sales of semi-automatic weapons, “Der Spiegel” magazine reports.

Since the Charlie Hebdo attack, the European Commission has advocated a blanket ban on assault rifles and a six bullet limit to the rounds of semi-automatic magazines from 21 today. That initial proposal has now been watered down following intensive lobbying.

Companies such as Germany’s Sig Sauer, Heckler & Koch, Austria’s Glock, and Italy’s Beretta have enlisted support in powerful European parties, including Germany’s ruling Christian Democrats (CDU), to prevent the regulation of the legal retail market for assault rifles.