In a historic win for wildlife and animal protection, Belgium has officially taken a stand against trophy hunting imports.

Belgium’s Parliament voted unanimously to pass legislation introduced by the Minister of Climate, the Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal, Zakia Khattabi, banning the import of hunting trophies from endangered species. This landmark decision comes nearly two years after Parliament first called for such action that safeguards vulnerable wildlife, including lions, rhinos, elephants, and other at-risk species.

The unanimous vote in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives reflects strong public opposition to trophy hunting. A 2020 Ipsos survey commissioned by Humane Society International/Europe found that 91% of Belgians oppose trophy hunting, while 88% support banning the import of any hunting trophy.

Before the ban, Belgium imported trophies from species vulnerable to extinction, such as hippos, cheetahs, and polar bears. The new law halts imports from species currently at risk from trade or those that could become threatened without restrictions.

All species listed in Annex A of European Regulation 338/97 on the protection of wild fauna and flora, including jaguars, cheetahs, leopards, certain brown bears, Cape mountain zebra, chimpanzees, and African elephants, are now protected. Selected Annex B species, including African lions, Southern white rhinos, hippos, and argali sheep, which are also listed in Annex XIII of Regulation (EC) No 865/2006, are included as well. The law extends protections beyond the six Annex B species originally covered in the 2022 parliamentary resolution.

Minister of Climate, the Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal, Zakia Khattabi stated:

“With the approval of my legislative project this Thursday in plenary, the Parliament is providing a legal basis to the resolution it unanimously adopted on 24 March 2022. It was urgent and necessary to protect these threatened and endangered species!”

Member of Parliament Kris Verduyckt (Vooruit, Flemish Socialists), who proposed the import ban, stated:

“Our country is finally banning the import of hunting trophies of endangered animals. The protection of these species is incompatible with trophy hunting imports. I am delighted that my legislative proposal is now enshrined in our legislation and I hope that it will serve as a source of inspiration for many other countries.”

Humane Society International/Europe, which has worked with Belgian lawmakers for years to advance this legislation, welcomed the adoption. The charity helped secure the unanimously supported 2022 parliamentary resolution, which later became a legislative proposal approved by the Federal government’s Council of Ministers in July 2023.

“The Belgian Parliament made history today for animals and is illustrating its continued and principled stand against the senseless killing of endangered wildlife,” said Ruud Tombrock, executive director of HSI/Europe.

“With this decision, Belgium positions itself as a leader in protecting biodiversity and endangered species. We believe other European countries are also ready to follow suit and take a strong stance against trophy hunting by banning imports of such souvenirs. The time is now for an EU-wide ban on the import of hunting trophies from endangered and protected species, reflecting the views of citizens across Member States in the European Union who share a commitment to being cautious and protective of animals and biodiversity, as well as preventing the fragmentation of the EU Single Market.”

Belgium’s action also signals support for similar legislation in neighboring France, where a cross-party Assembly bill to ban the import of hunting trophies of protected species is currently under parliamentary review. The proposal was introduced by Ecologist MP Sandra Regol with support from Renaissance MP Corinne Vignon, chair of the Assembly’s Study Group on the Condition and Welfare of Animals.

Before taking effect, the Belgian law must receive royal sanction and be published in the Moniteur Belge. It will enter into force on the date specified in the text, or, if no date is specified, 10 days after publication.

This historic decision marks a defining moment for endangered wildlife and firmly positions Belgium as a global leader in wildlife protection and animal welfare.