The Australian Hide, Skin and Leather Exporters’ Association Inc. stands with COTANCE in calling for the removal of hides from Annex I of the EUDR. As a byproduct of the food industry, hides are not a driver of deforestation. Penalising their use undermines both sustainability and common sense.

While our members—exporters to the EU—will face challenges under the current framework, the impact on Italy’s world-renowned tannery sector will be even more significant.

The EU has been a global leader in promoting circularity and combating fast fashion. Yet this regulation risks undermining that progress by removing a key sustainable material from the supply chain—leather—at a time when slow fashion needs it most. Let’s ensure policy aligns with sustainability goals.