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The EU’s long‑running push to eliminate lead from fishing tackle has taken an unexpected turn, with two of its strongest backers now warning they could help derail the very legislation they have championed.
In a development that has sent ripples through the European angling sector, the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) and the European Anglers Alliance (EAA) say they are prepared to reject the current draft regulation unless it reinstates a ban on the use of lead by anglers – a provision removed at the eleventh hour following objections from several EU Member States.
The European Commission’s latest text retains a sales ban on lead tackle but drops the use ban, a move EFTTA and the EAA describe as making the legislation nothing more than “window dressing.” Both organisations argue that without restricting use, the regulation becomes toothless and fails to deliver the environmental protection it promises.
EFTTA said its goal is not to block progress but to ensure the legislation remains effective, enforceable and environmentally meaningful. It added that restoring the use ban may paradoxically require challenging – or even rejecting – the current proposal, not out of opposition to lead restrictions, but to secure a version that actually works.
“We do not want the legislation off the table, but the legislation improved for reason of environmental and human health and protection and to avoid further fragmentation of the EU’s single market,” it added.
The Commission’s removal of the use ban can only be reversed if either the European Parliament or the Council blocks the proposal. EFTTA and the EAA are now urging both institutions to do exactly that.
However, complicating matters further, one MEP is also calling for the lead ban proposal to be rejected — but for reasons the two organisations strongly oppose.
EFTTA argues that a full ban – covering both sales and use – is the only way to tackle major concerns of some member states which it says includes:
- Home smelting of lead weights;
- Continued use of old lead already in circulation;
- Illegal imports that would otherwise slip through enforcement gaps.
Some Member States have argued that enforcing a use ban would be too difficult. EFTTA disagrees, insisting that existing systems already provide the necessary tools.
- Fishing licence checks could easily include inspections for lead tackle;
- Handheld scanners – already used in Danish tackle shops – could be deployed bankside;
- No additional manpower would be required, according to the trade body.
EFTTA maintains that these measures would make enforcement straightforward and consistent across the EU.
