About the European Scientists' Open Letters

This website hosts open letters from European and other concerned global scientists, medical and veterinary health professionals with expertise in the risks posed by lead ammunition to the health of humans, domestic animals, wildlife and the wider environment.

The most recent open letter from November 2025 is written in support of restriction of lead ammunition, in response to the Draft Commission Regulation (under REACH) on restriction of lead in outdoor shooting and fishing published in early 2025.

The letter specifically requests that:

  1. EU Member States and European Parliament and Council support the proposed regulation in full on the use and placing on the market of lead in outdoor shooting and fishing to protect the health of people, wildlife and the environment
  2. the European Commission responds to ECHA’s Risk Assessment Committee’s recommendations to:
    a) analyse the feasibility of sports shooting governing bodies to change their requirements regarding the use of lead gunshot in international competitions.
    b) set a regulatory maximum level for lead in game meat, similar to the maximum levels of lead for meat other than game.
  3. the International Olympics Committee (IOC), FITASC and ISSF require the use of non-lead ammunition for Olympic shooting disciplines to reduce lead exposure to athletes and the environment.

The Appendix to the 2025 letter represents a summary of the scientific literature published between 2023 and 2025 which highlights further toxic risks associated with lead ammunition to humans, domestic animals including dogs, wildlife and the wider environment. It reviews the literature on mitigation measures and efforts to harmonise global health and environmental protection.

The 102 European and other concerned global scientists, medical and veterinary health professional signatories are from six continents, representing 22 countries, of which 15 are Europeanand 12 are EU Member States.

The third open letter from 2023 was written in support of:

  1. a robust restriction on lead ammunition in the EU under chemicals regulation REACH1 as proposed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), and
  2. a request to the International Olympic Committee and the organisations governing sports shooting to change their rules and allow use of non-lead ammunition for target shooting. This would greatly simplify the EU restriction and remove the risks posed by lead ammunition for the benefit of shooters and the environment.

The Appendix to the 2023 letter represents a summary of the scientific literature published between 2020 and mid-2023 including substantial literature published since ECHA completed its latest lead ammunition restriction proposal. It highlights that, among other findings:

  1. risks exist for a yet wider range of wild avian and mammalian species;
  2. risks extend not only to livestock but also to companion animals;
  3. negative effects are seen at ever lower levels of exposure;
  4. populations of some protected species are likely to be substantially suppressed by secondary ingestion of lead from ammunition.

The 81 European and other concerned global scientists, medical and veterinary health professional signatories are from six continents, representing 21 countries, of which 14 are European.

The second open letter from 2020 was written due to concerns about both delays in the REACH process in consideration of restrictions of lead ammunition and circulating misinformation. Moreover, it was written to provide updates on the science of both the problem of lead ammunition’s toxicity to humans and animals, and the solution of non-toxic ammunition.

The 75 European and other scientists, medical and veterinary health professional signatories represented 18 countries of which 13 are European.

The first open letter from 2018 was written in support of restrictions on the use of lead ammunition, primarily for the Annex XV restriction proposal prepared by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) for the European Commission and the REACH process.

The Appendix to the letter provided a summary of risks from lead ammunition with references to (i) evidence, (ii) consumer guidance on game meat consumption, and (iii) relevant policy initiatives.

The 54 European scientists, medical and veterinary health professional signatories are from 17 European Countries (15 EU and 2 EFTA countries).

Scientific Consensus Statements: In addition to supporting this REACH/ECHA process, in 2014 European Scientists produced a Scientific Consensus Statement on the issue and need for transition to non-toxic ammunition. This complements the North American Scientists’ Scientific Consensus Statement produced in 2013.

1REACH is a European Union regulation concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & Restriction of Chemicals.