EU Lead Restrictions Move a Step Closer — and a Top OEM Line Maker Warns of an Uneven Playing Field for Chinese Imports

Restrictions on the use of lead in fishing tackle took a step closer in Europe this summer — and a newly appointed EFTTA board member is using the moment to warn that innovation will only thrive if the same rules apply to every product sold in the EU, regardless of origin.

Moira Dal Pozzo, Product Manager at Italian OEM line manufacturer Plastools, joined the board of the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association alongside Jordi Hernández Aynes, CEO of Spanish distributor Calico S.A. Writing on LinkedIn as the regulatory clock ticked down, she framed the lead question as a test of whether Europe can regulate fairly in a globalised market.

“Protecting the environment is a goal we all share. But are we taking the right path?” Dal Pozzo asked. “Developing alternative materials requires significant investment in research, new tooling, testing and much more expensive raw materials. European manufacturers are ready to innovate, but will the market be protected?”

The Import Question at the Heart of the Debate

The stakes for the fishing tackle industry are clear. If European companies invest heavily to comply with new restrictions while non-compliant products continue to enter the market from outside the EU — or are sold through uncontrolled channels — the regulation risks penalising exactly the companies it was designed to protect.

“We risk penalising the very companies that innovate, manufacture in Europe, create jobs, pay taxes and follow the rules without achieving the environmental results we want,” Dal Pozzo said.

“A successful transition must be sustainable in every sense — for the environment, the European industry and fair competition.”

For Chinese exporters of lead-based sinkers, jig heads and other terminal tackle, the trajectory matters. The EU has already begun applying a €3 customs duty on low-value parcels from outside the bloc, and lead-content rules now point the same direction: compliance standards are tightening at the border, not just on the shelf.

At Plastools, the response has been to push ahead with lead-free product development regardless of the regulatory timetable.

“At Plastools, we will continue investing in innovation and developing lead-free products. However, innovation can only thrive if the same rules apply to everyone,” Dal Pozzo said. “Sustainability must protect not only nature, but also the future of European manufacturing.”

An Industry Coming Together — With China on the Calendar

Dal Pozzo said she accepted the EFTTA board role because she believes in the value of working together. “No company can face today’s challenges alone. The fishing tackle industry is dealing with increasing regulations, environmental legislation, changing consumer expectations and strong international competition.”

Plastools has enjoyed a winning sequence at Angling International Live and EFTTEX in recent years, most recently taking a winner and runner-up spot in the Carp Feeder & Coarse category at Barcelona for its Super Sinking and Zero Memory Black & Cristal lines.

The company’s next stop is China Fish in Weihai this September, where Dal Pozzo said she looks forward to welcoming customers and industry friends. “Whether you are already working with us or simply curious to learn more, please come and visit us. I look forward to meeting you in China.”

The visit underscores a quiet irony of the regulatory debate: even as European producers press for equal enforcement against non-EU imports, China remains the industry’s most important meeting ground — and the market where the next generation of compliant, lead-free tackle will likely be manufactured at scale.

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