TCLF Sectors United in Dialogue: COTANCE Raises Leather Industry Position at EU Social Dialogue Committee
Brussels, 3 July 2025 — Employers' and workers' representatives of Europe’s Textile, Clothing, Leather and Footwear (TCLF) industries gathered in Brussels for their annual joint meeting of the EU Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee (SSDC), bringing together COTANCE, EURATEX, CEC and industriAll Europe to address shared challenges and shape a sustainable and competitive future for the entire ecosystem.
This direct dialogue is essential: it offers a dedicated platform where COTANCE, CEC, EURATEX—representing employers—and industriAll Europe—representing workers—can inform the European Commission about the latest developments, challenges, and opportunities in the sector, while also raising questions and concerns directly with EU officials.
Representing the leather sector, COTANCE Secretary General Gustavo Gonzalez-Quijano addressed key policy developments, particularly the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). He flagged the European Commission’s failure to publish the required impact assessment by the June 30 deadline - which is a legal obligation under EUDR Art. 34 2&3 - and the deception of the industry's legitimate expectation to science-based information that could lead to leather to be excluded from the EUDR scope, having regard to the robust findings of the Sant’Anna Study, which confirms leather is not a deforestation driver.
COTANCE also pointed at issues related to the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology (allocation to hides & skins, leather products durability metrics), as well as to the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).
The meeting also addressed:
- The need for TCLF sectors to be included in the Clean Industrial Deal, and the decision to draft a joint roadmap outlining the sector's role and expectations.
- Updates from the Commission on customs reform and EU market surveillance under the Digital Services Act, including ongoing investigations into Temu and AliExpress—as TCLF goods account for the bulk of over €4 billion in imports, mostly from China.
- Recent national-level policy initiatives like France’s bill against ultra-fast fashion, which was welcomed but sparked discussion on the risk of internal market fragmentation and the need for harmonised EU-level solutions.
Finally, COTANCE presented the COTANCE-EURATEX-CEC joint position on EU Quality Jobs in the TCLF sectors—to support the development of the EU Quality Jobs Roadmap & enhance it with the perspective & insights of the European Textiles, Clothing, Leather and Footwear (TCLF) sectors, which collectively provide over 1.5 million jobs in the EU and contribute over €200 billion to the European economy.
Despite being different materials & goods with unique characteristics and needs, SSDC meeting reaffirmed one clear message: the TCLF sectors are united in navigating uncertainty and global challenges.
