# EU ban on lead shot ammunition

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/eu-ban-on-lead-shot-ammunition
> Updated: 2026-10-24T19:14:00.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 3.

The European Parliament has approved a ban on lead shot ammunition for hunting and sport shooting across the European Union, the European Economic Area, and Northern Ireland. The regulation aims to mitigate environmental pollution and protect wildlife, noting that approximately 135 million birds in Europe are at risk of lead poisoning annually. Furthermore, an estimated 44,000 tons of lead are dispersed annually through hunting, sport shooting, and fishing, contaminating soil and waterways.

The measure expands upon previous restrictions, such as the 2023 ban on lead shot in wetlands, by establishing a general ban on use across all habitats. The regulation prohibits the sale and use of shot ammunition containing one percent or more lead by weight. To address concerns regarding industrial conversion and the costs of upgrading equipment, the implementation period for smoothbore ammunition has been extended from three to seven years.

To protect the competitiveness of the ammunition industry and avoid disrupting the defense sector, the ban excludes metallic ammunition for rifled firearms, such as lead bullets used for hunting larger game. The European Commission maintained this exclusion to ensure production and supply capacity are preserved amidst shifting security and defense requirements. The Association of European Sporting Ammunition Manufacturers (AFEMS) expressed moderate satisfaction with this exclusion.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-24: European Union tightens regulations on lead ammunition

New EU legislation will implement a general ban on lead shot for hunting, featuring a seven-year transition period while exempting lead rifle bullets due to defense and supply concerns.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-union-tightens-regulations-on-lead-ammunition

### 2026-10-11: European Parliament approves ban on lead ammunition

The European Parliament has approved a ban on lead shot in hunting and sport shooting ammunition to reduce environmental pollution, providing a seven-year transition period for manufacturers.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-parliament-approves-ban-on-lead-ammunition

### 2026-10-08: European Parliament approves EU-wide ban on lead shot ammunition

The European Parliament has approved a ban on lead shot ammunition for hunting across all EU habitats to prevent heavy metal poisoning in wildlife and ecosystems.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-parliament-approves-eu-wide-ban-on-lead-shot-ammunition

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Cite as: EU ban on lead shot ammunition. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/eu-ban-on-lead-shot-ammunition