The EU’s restriction on lead gunshot has reached its final stage of scrutiny, and because Northern Ireland still follows EU chemicals law, it will apply here. For our members, that means a transition that is considerably more generous than the one now in force in Great Britain.

The restriction is currently before the European Parliament and the Council, and it looks very different from the proposal that started the process. After 17 months of negotiation, the transition period for lead shot has been extended to seven years. The European Chemicals Agency’s risk committee had recommended just 18 months, and the European Commission had proposed three years. Bullets and slugs have also been removed from the scope altogether, so the final text deals with lead shot alone. Earlier versions would have reached lead rifle ammunition, including rimfire.

Parliament and the Council cannot amend individual parts of the text. They can only accept it or reject it as a whole, and a rejection would send the file back to the Commission. We believe it would return with a wider scope and less favourable terms, which is why we regard the current text as a workable basis for moving forward, provided the transition is delivered properly.

The reason this matters in Northern Ireland comes down to the Protocol. When the UK left the EU, Great Britain moved to its own regime, UK REACH, but Northern Ireland did not. Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, now the Windsor Framework, EU REACH continues to apply here, and the UK government says as much in its own guidance. Once the EU restriction is adopted, it will bind Northern Ireland automatically, with no separate decision needed at Westminster or Stormont. Great Britain’s restriction, which has been in force since 1 April 2026, does not extend to Northern Ireland. We have been here before, as the EU’s wetlands restriction has applied since 2023, building on rules that were already in place in Northern Ireland from 2009.

The difference between the two regimes is worth spelling out. In England, Scotland and Wales, shooters have a three-year transition, with lead shot restrictions applying from 1 April 2029. That timetable was itself shortened from the five years the Health and Safety Executive originally proposed. Great Britain has also gone further on rifle ammunition, restricting lead bullets for live quarry shooting from 2029. Outdoor ranges face a separate deadline in April 2028 unless they meet new risk-management requirements. Shooters in Northern Ireland will have several more years to make the switch on shot, and rifle shooters and stalkers are not caught by this restriction at all.

A longer runway is only an advantage if it is used well, and we will be watching supply closely, particularly as many manufacturers serve both the GB and EU markets. There is also a wider point that should not be lost. Northern Ireland’s farmers, gamekeepers, hunters and clay shooters will be working to rules agreed in Brussels, in a process where Northern Ireland has no vote and no seat. That is why we work through our European federation, FACE, to make sure our circumstances are heard.

Gary McCartney, Regional Director of Countryside Alliance Ireland, said:

“This is a significant change for everyone who shoots in Northern Ireland, and it is right that members understand why it applies here and not just in the EU. Because of the Protocol, we are bound by EU rules rather than the ones coming into force in Great Britain, and in this case that works in our favour. A seven-year transition and the removal of bullets and slugs from the restriction give our members far more time and certainty than their counterparts across the water. But that only helps if suitable alternatives are available, affordable and fit for our terrain, and we will keep pressing to make sure that is the case.”

On the practical side, FACE expects more than 90% of the alternative ammunition needed to be steel shot, and standard steel cartridges are already available at prices comparable to lead. The European ammunition industry has confirmed it can deliver within seven years, and Denmark, the Netherlands and Flanders have made similar transitions without a fall in hunter numbers or bags. Before switching, members should make sure their shotgun is suitable for non-lead shot, as older guns and tighter chokes need particular care, and a reputable gunsmith can advise.

Countryside Alliance Ireland will keep working with FACE, UK authorities and local representatives to make sure the transition works on the ground here, with alternatives that are genuinely available and suitable, clear information for members and the trade, and practical support for clubs and grounds that need to adapt. We will keep members informed as the process moves forward.