This month, the European Commission revised its legal proposal to ban lead in ammunition. In line with requests from several Member States, the updated draft makes two key adjustments to transition periods for bullets used in hunting:

• For centrefire bullets with calibres equal to or larger than 5.6 mm used in hunting, the transition period has been set at 5 years, instead of 18 months in the previous Commission draft.
• For centrefire bullets with calibres smaller than 5.6 mm and for rimfire bullets of any calibre used in hunting, the transition period has been extended to 15 years, with a review clause after 10 years.

The proposal maintains the 3-year transition period for the ban on the use of lead shot for hunting. This transitional period differs from the proposed 5-year transitional period for the restriction on retailing lead gunshot without any logical ground.

On 16 December 2025, the updated draft was discussed at the EU REACH Committee meeting, which comprises the European Commission and representatives from Member States.

FACE continues to closely follow this process, which remains a significant regulatory file affecting Europe’s 7 million hunters.