Government approves plan for leather sector

The Spanish Council of Ministers have approved a set of measures to support the footwear, leather and leathergoods sectors in an attempt to safeguard 40,000 jobs. Employment focused policies include the constant training of the sector's workforce to improve their prospects. These proposals supplement measures of an industrial nature proposed in July by Cec-Fecur, Acexpiel and other representative groups. The plan aims to make Spain's footwear, leather and leathergoods producers more competitive. This will involve closer collaboration between companies, a reorientation of strategy towards less standardised production, promoting more specialised articles with added value; improved credit lines and cashflow, and investment in the latest technology. Further objectives include boosting export capacity and presence in foreign markets and rationalising the sector in accordance with the market's current real potential.