EUDR: the exclusion of bovine leather, an exception that raises questions
The European Commission has proposed removing bovine hides and skins from the scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). This development raises several questions regarding the consistency of the scheme. Why apply different rules to products derived from the same animal? And how can this exemption be justified when the regulation’s objectives remain unchanged?
A proposal that reignites the debate
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) aims to restrict entry on the European market of products linked to imported deforestation. The beef sector is among the industries covered by the regulation.
The Commission’s proposal would exclude certain categories of cattle hides and skins from the scope of the regulation. However, meat and leather originate from the same production chain.
A question of regulatory consistency
Two regimes would therefore coexist within the same sector: meat would remain subject to the requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation, while certain categories of leather would be exempt. This difference in treatment raises questions about the consistency of the approach to addressing deforestation risks.
The justifications put forward are administrative burdens and compliance costs, which also apply to other sectors already covered by the regulation. This raises questions about the criteria used to define the scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation and the precedent that such an exception could set for other raw materials and derived products.
The proposal has been opened for public consultation, giving businesses, trade organisations and civil society organisations an opportunity to share their views.
Beyond bovine leather, the debate centres more broadly on balancing operational feasibility, regulatory consistency and environmental ambition. The decisions taken could influence the future development of the European framework for tackling deforestation.
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