Academic study on EUDR is ‘a game-changer’ COTANCE says
The president of COTANCE, Manuel Ríos, has described as “a game-changer” a new academic study examining the likely impact of imposing the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on the leather industry.
Six academics from the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa compiled the study, which COTANCE and Italy’s national tanning industry body, UNIC, jointly commissioned.
The resulting research paper, ‘Socio-economic and environmental analysis of the
effects of Regulation 2023/1115/EU on the European leather sector’, is available here.
A member of the research team, Professor Fabio Iraldo, presented the key findings of the study to an audience of leather industry professionals at the September edition of Lineapelle in Milan as part of a wider discussion about EUDR.
Main findings are that the study found no direct link between leather and deforestation, that EUDR is likely to have severe economic impact on the European cattle and hide supply chain, leaving tanners without the raw materials they need, forcing some businesses to close and people working across the supply chain to lose their jobs.
The study also warns the environmental risks from the increased use of alternative materials and hides going to waste if the feared “short-circuiting of the European leather industry” comes to pass.
“Including leather in the EUDR scope is misguided and could have damaging socio-economic and environmental consequences,” Mr Ríos said.
