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Commission internationale permanente pour l'épreuve des armes à feu portatives
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<p>The Commission internationale permanente pour l'épreuve des armes à feu portatives (English: <i>Permanent International Commission for the Proof of Small Arms</i>), commonly abbreviated C.I.P., is an international organisation which sets standards for safety testing of <a href="/facts/Firearms/GuHx4aGE">firearms</a>. (The word <i>portatives</i> ("portable") in the name refers to the fact the C.I.P. tests <a href="/facts/Small_arms/GuHx4aGE">small arms</a> almost exclusively; it is ordinarily omitted from the English translation of the name.) As of 2015, its members are the national governments of 14 countries, of which 11 are <a href="/facts/European_Union/6GYcR8qM">European Union</a> member states. The C.I.P. safeguards that all firearms and ammunition sold to civilian purchasers in member states are safe for the users. </p><p>To achieve this, all such firearms are first <a href="/facts/Proof_test/EXjvUtIQ">proof tested</a> at C.I.P. accredited Proof Houses. The same applies for cartridges; at regular intervals, cartridges are tested against the C.I.P. pressure specifications at the ammunition manufacturing plants and at C.I.P. accredited Proof Houses. </p>