FACE's request has been granted: the REACH Committee extends the compliance period for the ban on lead shot. Ball ammunition intended for hunting ungulates and for defense purposes remains exempt from the measure.
Important developments in the European regulation of lead ammunition. The REACH Committee has accepted the proposal to extend the transition period before the ban on the use of lead-containing shotgun shells from three to seven years. This decision represents a significant step forward from the initial proposal and provides hunters, manufacturers, and industry professionals with a broader timeframe to comply with the new provisions.
The news was announced by FACE, the Federation of European Hunting Associations, of which Federcaccia is a member. According to the federation, the outcome is the fruit of a lengthy discussion lasting approximately eighteen months between the European Commission and the governments of the member states, which incorporated many of the observations made by the hunting community.
The measure will now face the final stage of the institutional process, with a three-month period during which the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union can examine the text. However, according to FACE, the compromise reached is unlikely to undergo substantial changes.
The European Federation emphasizes that the new calendar represents a more balanced and realistic approach for the hunting community, allowing for a gradual transition to the use of alternative ammunition. FACE emphasizes that the focus must now be on the practical implementation of the measure, supporting hunters in the transition to lead-free ammunition and leveraging the experience of countries that have already successfully completed this transition without compromising hunting participation.
A particularly relevant aspect concerns the scope of the ban. The new provisions will only affect shotgun ammunition, primarily used for hunting birds and small game. Ball ammunition used for hunting ungulates will remain excluded. This decision is motivated not only by wildlife management needs, but also by the desire to avoid repercussions on the security and defense sectors, which continue to rely on this type of ammunition.
The extension of the transition period therefore represents a sign of greater attention to the needs of the hunting and arms industries, while confirming the European Union's objective of progressively reducing the use of lead in hunting ammunition.
