On 20 February 2026, a meeting of the FACE Central Region took place in Salzburg, Austria. The meeting was chaired by Srečko Žerjav, FACE Vice-President for the Central Region, and kindly hosted by Jagd Österreich. It was held at the Salzburg Messe in parallel with the Hohe Jagd & Fischerei exhibition.

The meeting provided an opportunity for FACE Central member organisations to exchange views on key policy and strategic issues affecting hunting and conservation in the region. Discussions focused in particular on recent European-level developments relevant to Central European countries, including ammunition and firearms legislation, huntable bird species, large carnivores, invasive alien species, animal health (African swine fever in wild boar and avian influenza), animal welfare, and the implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation.

The FACE Secretariat presented progress under the FACE work plan for 2026, and key priorities for the coming years, followed by an exchange on the implementation of the FACE Strategy and broader initiatives linked to social acceptance of hunting and communication. A dedicated tour de table allowed member organisations to outline their main national challenges and identify priority areas where FACE action at the European level will be most important in the coming years.

The meeting was well attended and benefited from strong engagement by participants, with several shared priorities identified and best practices exchanged among member countries. Linking the meeting to the Hohe Jagd & Fischerei exhibition proved particularly useful, facilitating participation and informal exchanges alongside the formal agenda.