Germans to focus on REACH at European conference
The implications of the EU REACH proposals will provide the main thrust of the German Leather Federation (Verband der Deutschen Lederindustrie[VDL]) representation at the forthcoming EU conference on the future of the European leather industry.
In a statement issued today, the association said it also intended to highlight the issues of market access for leather and raw materials, social and employment legislation and industrial policy in the newly-enlarged Europe. The EU REACH proposals are seen as unfairly adding to the chemical costs borne by European tanners, without delivering significant environmental benefit. As they do not apply to imports from outside the European Union, they are also viewed as placing the industry at an unfair disadvantage. Representing the VDL at the Brussels conference on May 27 will be its new president, Mr Thomas Strebost.
