Leather Industries Ask Importers To Provide International Inspection Certificates

Leather Industries Chamber of FEI, Federation of Egyptian Industries, called on the importers to rapidly provide inspection certificate from accredited international authority such as the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), according to the minister of industry and foreign trade’s decision (660/2011); determining the period of the open documentary credits, no more than three months.

Yahya Zalat, chairman of the chamber, said the industry faces unprecedented increase of the shoes and leather products imports which not conforming to the standard specifications; consequently it will harm the consumer. He referred that the decision 660, which it was supposed to start working by its verdicts on 21 June 2011 before delaying it to 15 September 2012 by the pressure of some importers, will work on limiting the exports of shoes and leather products which enter the country without conforming to the standard specifications.

He added that delaying the implementation of this condition causes negative influences, whereas the factories will reduces their productions, while other factories may suspend their activity. These matters represent danger on workers, besides decreasing the demand on leather. It was planned that these factories buy about 250 million feet per year.