The standards, Product Specifications of the Genuine Leather Mark for Ecological Leather, prescribe the content limitation of harmful chemicals, such as azo-dye, in leather products, in line with the requirements of the world's major leather importers.

"Its implementation since July is to actively cope with green (environmental) trade barriers," said Zhang Shuhua, vice-president of the association.

With the lifting of tariff barriers since China entered the World Trade Organization, technical trade barriers became the main obstacle to the export of Chinese products.

Recent reports have said that the European Union (EU) is likely to pass a bill banning leather products and textile products using azo-dye, a substance that may cause cancer.

"If we are not prepared, the export-oriented leather industry will suffer great losses," said Zhang.

The EU is the second largest importer of Chinese leather products. The volume of the leather trade with the EU is US$1.86 billion, accounting for 17 percent of the country's total export volume of leather products.

"The implementation of the new standards is a measure to set up a warning system for the industry's self-discipline," said Zhang.

She added that the association would conduct forward information collection on international technical trade barriers and revise the specifications from time to time to provide guidance for manufacturers.

As it stands, domestic enterprises are not forced to meet the requirements in the specifications. Such strict rules are non-compulsory in most countries; even in Germany, where products with azo-dye have been banned since 1994.

Leather products which meet the specifications as well as conform to national or industrial standards, will be marked with the "Genuine Leather Mark for Ecological Leather," a certification trademark registered with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce.

The association will issue the certification trademark to 10 or 12 enterprises whose products meet the new requirements by the end of this year.

It believes that the new rule will help improve awareness of environmental protection in the industry, and drive its sustainable development as well as guarantee the export of leather products.

China is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of leather products.

With 16,000 enterprises in the leather industry, the country produced 460 million square meters of leather, 70 million leather garments and billions of pairs of shoes last year.

The export value of major leather products in 2001 was US$12.48 billion, an increase of 6.1 percent over 2000.

In the first half of this year, China exported US$5.95 billion's worth of leather products, 2.3 percent more than the same period last year.

To further promote the development of China's leather industry and provide a trading platform for domestic and overseas companies, the All China Leather Exhibition will be held in Shanghai from September 18 to 20.

About 200 domestic producers and 13 overseas groups from Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the United States will attend the fair.

(China Daily August 26, 2002)