The European Commission is working on restricting lead in ammunition and fishing tackle under EU chemicals legislation (the REACH Regulation). The proposal has been under discussion in the EU REACH Committee since February 2025, where Member States and the Commission have been examining the technical, socio-economic, and practical implications for hunters, sport shooters, and anglers.

In recent weeks, the Commission decided to split the proposal into two separate files: one covering lead in fishing tackle and the other on lead in ammunition. This step may reflect the increasing complexity and political sensitivity of the ammunition file.

It is now expected that the restriction on lead in fishing tackle will move forward soon. However, the ammunition file remains under discussion within the REACH Committee, as a majority of Member States do not yet support the Commission’s proposal, mainly due to geopolitical concerns and the wide-ranging socio-economic impacts as flagged by Agricultural and Environmental ministers in recent months. For FACE, any future measures must be realistic and technically feasible.

Read more: EU discussions on lead in ammunition: More input from Member States requested