Benelux, Durability

Benelux updates its hunting regulations: greater clarity, safety, and consistency

15 Jul. 2025

The Benelux countries have adopted a new common set of hunting regulations. This update aims to modernize practices, enhance safety, and better protect biodiversity, while also taking into account technological and societal developments.

Under the Luxembourg presidency of the Benelux Committee of Ministers, a new decision was signed by Serge Wilmes, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity. It establishes a common maximum list of permissible hunting equipment and methods, while allowing each country or region the freedom to decide what it will implement in practice. The goal: to provide greater flexibility while ensuring a shared foundation of best practices.

This decision reflects the Benelux’s commitment to promoting a coordinated approach to cross-border issues. Hunting, by its nature, does not stop at national borders: animal species move freely between countries, and hunting practices vary greatly from one territory to another. By harmonizing the rules, the Benelux seeks to prevent contradictions, limit abuses, and provide a clear and consistent framework at the regional level.

This update puts an end to the fragmentation of Benelux hunting regulations, which were previously spread across several documents. By consolidating them into a single, updated decision, the Benelux makes the rules easier to understand and apply—for both authorities and hunters.