Leather excluded from the EUDR

The European tanning industry breathes a sigh of relief: hides, skins and leather have been excluded from the scope of the Anti-Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
On May 4, the European Commission proposed to exclude hides, skins and leather from the scope of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on zero-deforestation products (EUDR), through a draft delegated act that will amend Annex I and is expected to enter into force by summer following a public consultation. The decision represents a crucial step for the European tanning industry and formalizes the recognition of a position long advocated by COTANCE, the umbrella organization representing European tanners’ associations: leather is a byproduct of the meat and dairy supply chains and does not drive either cattle farming or deforestation.
According to the sector, the inclusion of leather in the EUDR was not supported by a specific impact assessment, and its exclusion aligns with the principle of regulatory proportionality. COTANCE reiterated that it shares the environmental objectives of the regulation but has always called for rules based on scientific evidence.
The decision follows a globally coordinated effort by the tanning industry, involving associations and stakeholders
“Today’s European Commission saved more 30 000 jobs across European tanneries and sent a clear signal to the world: the leather industry is not a problem to be regulated away — it is a solution to be invested in. The European leather industry is the innovation edge of a global sector, producing the most sustainable and technically advanced leather in the world. This outcome allows us to keep our focus where it belongs: on the future” said Manuel Rios, President of COTANCE.
Edoardo De Paola, Secretary General of COTANCE, added: “This is a historic moment for the tanning industry. The Commission has rectified a fundamental flaw that has existed since the EUDR proposal was first put forward, confirming what logic has long suggested: converting a by-product of livestock into leather does not drive deforestation. Since biblical times, leather has symbolized the transformation of a natural by-product into something Even though the outcome now seems certain, it is important to remember that the process is far from over. For the exclusion to become final, a 30-day public consultation period by the Commission must now be observed. The Council and the European Parliament then have an additional 60 days to approve the delegated act or request that it be revised in its entirety.