European Commission Excludes Bovine Leather from the EU Deforestation Regulation

The European Commission’s delegated act on the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) had been expected in the spring. Following the European Parliament’s vote last November, Brussels committed to incorporating, in the revision process, requests for simplification put forward by EU industrial sectors as well as global partners and stakeholders. According to Euractiv, the Commission has removed bovine leather, in all stages of processing, from Annex I of the Regulation. The material is not a driver of deforestation, as argued by supply chain operators and confirmed by the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa. Furthermore, as acknowledged in the delegated act, the leather industry does not have the economic influence required to impact the meat sector.

For the exclusion to become definitive, it is first necessary to wait for the European Commission’s 30-day public consultation period. This will be followed by a 60-day period during which the Council and the European Parliament may approve the delegated act (which concerns bovine leather, among other elements) or request a full revision.