In December 2025, the EU REACH Committee met to discuss the European Commission’s revised proposal to restrict lead in ammunition. The updated draft regulation presented by the Commission reflects Member States’ earlier comments and seeks to balance environmental and health objectives with practical considerations raised by stakeholders.

According to the meeting minutes, several Member States welcomed extended transitional periods for centrefire ammunition used in hunting, reflecting concerns about the feasibility of rapid phase-outs and the availability of viable alternatives. Other delegations, however, reiterated concerns about the timing of the restriction and its potential impacts, particularly on shooting ranges and sectors where lead ammunition remains widely used. The Commission invited further written comments by 15 January and announced that discussions would continue at the next REACH Committee meeting in February 2026.

FACE continues to closely follow this dossier as it progresses through the EU decision-making process, which remains a significant regulatory file affecting Europe’s 7 million hunters.