In 2016, the European Confederation of the Footwear Industry (CEC) welcomed a new Member, the Association of Hungarian Light Industry (AHLI). The new membership was formalised at CEC’s General Assembly held in Brussels last December and reinforces CEC’s representation at European level while it will open the door for the Association' support to Hungarian companies.

AHLI represents the Hungarian footwear industry through its branch the Hungarian Association for Leather and Shoe Industry (BCE), which also includes components.

Footwear and leather goods manufacturing in Hungary suffered a steady decline in the late eighties, at which time it produced around 45 million pairs of shoes per year and employed 40 000 people. Towards the middle of the nineties, production began to stabilise with some minor drops, including during the European economic crisis. Today, the sector employs around 6 700 people and produces around 11 million pairs of shoes. Special focus is given to orthopedic footwear, a market with significant growth potential in Europe given the consumers’ longer life expectancy.

The CEC will work towards the reinforcement and growth of the Hungarian footwear industry, in particular on skills development to preserve its tradition of footwear craftsmanship, while facilitating new partnerships for Hungarian companies in Europe. The reinforcement of the industry could attract and bring back investments from European brands currently manufacturing outside Europe.

Mr. Cleto Sagripanti, President of the CEC

“Together, we have a stronger voice, we save time and resources, and we reach better outcomes for our industry”, commented Mr. Sagripanti, while adding that topics such as the negotiation of free trade agreements between Europe and third countries and access to EU initiatives and funding will be of interest to the Hungarian industry.

The CEC’s current full Members include footwear associations from Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and together they represent 88% of the total production value of the footwear industry in Europe.

For more information about CEC please refer to the Association's website.