Restrictions on lead in fishing tackle

The Commission has proposed amending Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation (No 1907/2006), which regulates chemical substances in the EU. The amendment restricts the use of lead in certain fishing tackle, specifically lead weights and lures, to a maximum of one kilogramme. The proposal is going through the so-called regulatory procedure with scrutiny, during which Parliament may raise an objection to the Commission’s measure.

An objection (document B10-0344/2026) was tabled by eleven MEPs from the Patriots for Europe (PfE) group on behalf of their group. If it were to be adopted, Parliament would oppose the Commission adopting the lead restriction in its current form. However, a simple majority of those present would not be sufficient. An objection of this kind requires an absolute majority of all MEPs, i.e. at least 361 votes in favour.

197 MEPs voted in favour of the objection, 455 against, and 7 abstained. The objection therefore failed to secure even a majority of the votes cast, let alone the required 361. The Commission’s proposal continues through the adoption process and Parliament did not intervene. There was no plenary debate on the objection.

The S&D (126 votes against), Renew (71) and Greens/EFA (49) voted unanimously against the objection, with not a single vote in favour. The EPP voted predominantly against: 143 of its MEPs voted against, 26 in favour and 1 abstained. The pro-European majority therefore rejected the objection, with a minority of EPP MEPs voting otherwise.

The entire PfE group voted in favour of the objection (74 votes), as did a large majority of the ECR (69 in favour, 3 against, 2 abstentions). The ESN was split, practically down the middle: 13 in favour, 11 against, 2 abstentions. The Left group (far left) voted against the objection, with 39 votes against and 1 abstention.

Twenty-six EPP MEPs voted alongside the far-right groups, representing 15 per cent of its voting members. Among them are eight MEPs from Italy (seven from Forza Italia, one from the SVP) and six from Portugal (three from the PSD, two from the Aliança Democrática, one from the CDS-PP). Five are from the French Republicans (Les Républicains) and three from Bulgaria (two from GERB, one from the Union of Democratic Forces). There are also two from the Slovenian SDS and one from the Spanish Partido Popular. The EPP as a whole did not vote with the far right.