One day after the HDS/L anniversary celebration, the shoe industry met again in the BASF company house in Ludwigshafen. The CADS sustainability association met for the annual information day to exchange ideas about working in the working groups and the current challenges and regulations.
As far as the regulations are concerned, the EU has heralded a change towards more strengthening the European market participants. Before the entry into force, regulations were postponed or are reorganized to introduce more exceptions. This transition phase in turn means that in many areas there is still ambiguity, what will apply and what should be taken back. For example, various simplifications are discussed for the recently postponed drafting regulations (EudR): a control exemption for raw materials from countries with a very low drafting risk or a compensation mechanism by reforestation programs. Ultimately, however, lecturers Olga Wedel (Wortmann) and Sven Reimers (Lloyd) evaluate: “It is currently rather unlikely that the EU Commission will decide significant changes or a further shift at short notice.”
Packaging can also be regulated and discussed. Using a Tamaris shoe in the box, Andreas Burmeister (Wortmann) showed how much different packaging material is in it. This includes the cardboard itself, the form of form in the shoe and the slope day together with a cord. These are regulated by the PPWR packaging Ordinance, which came into force on February 11, 2025. The aim is to harmonize the existing, previously different packaging rules in the Member States. In addition, there are mandatory quotas for recycling and recyclate and the expanded responsibility for manufacturers. This means that manufacturers bear the cost of collection, recycling and recycling. Different obligations apply to producers, manufacturers and importers. Even for lawyers, it is not entirely clear what role the shoe manufacturers fulfill, explains Burmeister. He calls for a common procedure for the shoe industry to clarify the legal questions for everyone and to develop a common understanding of the regulation.
A detailed report on the content of the CADS information tag follows in the Schuhkurier edition 29/25 on August 21, 2025 and in the Steptechnik edition 3/25 on September 10, 2025.
