Although there is no specific EU legislation for the leather industry, this sector is affected by different measures concerning the environment, the use of chemicals, the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances as well as the use of animal by-products.
Several EU regulations have implications for the leather industry:
Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemical substances (REACH), as the industry is an important downstream user of a wide variety of chemical preparations.
Directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions according to which permit conditions, including emission limit values, must be based on the Best Available Techniques (BAT). The BAT reference document (BREF) for tanning of hides and skins was adopted in 2013.
Regulation (EC) 1069/2009 and Commission Regulation (EU) 142/2011 on animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption, as hides and skins are materials of animal origin that are used outside the food chain.