The latest meeting on the EU proposal to restrict lead in ammunition – aka “lead ban” – was held on 22–23 October 2025. The formal discussions about the latest draft of the Commission’s proposal within the EU REACH Committee (composed of Member State representatives and chaired by the European Commission) took place in closed session and the formal outcome has not been published.
Yet FACE, the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation that represents Europe’s 7 million hunters interests, has reason to express concern noting that “the updated legal proposal presented by the European Commission in advance of the meeting shows no revisions to some the main issues affecting Europe’s hunting community.”
Actually no surprise here, since the EU as a whole has always remained deafest to any objection, data or strong argument against the banning of lead in ammo, impervious to any attempt to reason with them. And the motive, as we have already pointed out over and over, seems to be the EU’s underlying, deep-rooted anti-hunting – and anti-gun – biases.
Lead ban, minor adjustments but few hopes
In detail, FACE is concerned about the following issues: 1) according to the discussed draft, leaded shot and shotgun slugs are to be subject to a complete ban after a transitional period of 3 years, which is too short; 2) the transition period for center-fire ammunition is 18 months, which again is too short; 3) there is no review clause or permanent derogation for rimfire ammunition.
“However, there are minor adjustments that merit attention,” FACE says. “For example, amending the timing of the derogations for clay shooting ranges and removing the requirement for shooting ranges to sell shotgun ammunition.” The derogation applies only for active members of sports shooting federations at outdoor sports shooting ranges, and “the deletion of this authorisation for selling cartridges for clay shooting probably reflects concerns over feasibility, particularly regarding the lack of infrastructure and permitting complexity for some shooting ranges to sell ammunition.” As a side note, neither the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) or the European Commission know how many clay shooting ranges in Europe have (or will be able to put in place) the required risk management measures.
Another major development last month was the splitting of the proposal separating lead in ammunition from lead in fishing tackle, which means that the proposal to restrict lead in fishing restriction is likely to be adopted first.
Overall, the outcome seems to be already written. Let’s see what will happen in the European Parliament in the next weeks, however. all4shooters.com will continue to closely follow this process, which – as we are reminded by FACE – remains a significant regulatory file affecting all Europe’s hunters.
